Interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system

ABSTRACT

An interleaved wagering system with a reconciliation system is disclosed. The system includes an interactive controller constructed to receive a user input from a user, communicate the user input to an application controller, determine a first action outcome using the user input, and communicate the action outcome to the application controller. The application controller operatively connects the interactive controller to a wager controller, and the application controller is constructed to receive the user input and the action outcome from the interactive controller, determine a second action outcome from the user input, and correct the first action outcome using the second action outcome based on a comparison of the first action outcome and the second action outcome.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/171,653, filed Jun. 10, 2015, the entire contents of which areincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are generally related tocommunications within data processing systems. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to the communication and processing ofwagering data.

BACKGROUND

The gaming industry has traditionally developed electronic gamingmachines that present simple gambling games to a user. The communicationand processing needs for these simple gambling games are easily metusing conventional processing systems.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,405 to McClintic describes aconventional gaming device provided with a central processor (CPU)operably coupled to input logic circuitry and output logic circuitry.The input logic circuitry is employed to operably couple CPU to inputdevices such as, for example, a touch screen segment or physical button,a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a player tracking card reader or acredit/debit card reader. The output logic circuitry is employed tooperably couple the CPU with output devices such as, for example, ahopper, a video monitor, meter displays, and a printer. The CPU is alsooperably coupled to controlling software memory, which includes assignedmemory locations storing game software and system software. Suchcontrolling software memory dictates when selected graphics or messagesare displayed to a player, as well as when play sequences begin and endand management of wager input and award output. The CPU is also operablycoupled to a second memory, which is employed to store data indicativeof game statistics, number of plays, number of wins, etc. Controllingsoftware memory, a second memory, or other, ancillary memory store dataindicative of winning results, such as data representative of one ormore symbol combinations, including winning combinations. Second memorymay also be used, for example, to store a bit map of the symbol patterndepicted as a matrix display on video monitor. In operation of thegaming device the CPU carries out instructions of the system software toimplement an initial display pattern on the video monitor and to enablethe input devices. After a wager is received a player activates aninitiator element such as a handle, the physical button or the touchscreen to initiate a play sequence. At this point, the game software, inconjunction with a random number generator, generates a random symbolconfiguration for a random final outcome comprised of a pattern ofsymbols for depiction on video monitor. System software then animatesthe video monitor by simulating the movement of visible representationsof symbol carriers including symbols thereon so that the playerperceives symbol carrier rotational “movement” of each symbol carrier aswell as, optionally, rotational movement of the entire group of symbolcarriers about a common axis. Once the visible representations of thesymbol carriers have stopped, all of the generated, displayed symbolscomprising a winning combination or combinations in the matrix displayare identified or flagged. The displayed results (pattern of symbolsdepicted on the video monitor, which may include symbols received from aremote location, is compared with data stored in game softwarerepresenting winning combinations to determine if any displayedcombination on an active pay line is a winning combination. Anyidentified winning combination or combinations of symbols are thenassociated with winnings to be distributed to the player according to apaytable of the game software associated with the various possiblewinning combinations. The various pay line configurations and requiredcombinations of the various indicia for a winning combination withineach pay line reside within the game software and are retrieved forcomparison to the randomly generated pattern of indicia depicted on thevideo monitor.

Operation of another conventional computer gaming system is described inU.S. Pat. No. 6,409,602 issued to Wiltshire et al. A game program isexecuted on server/host computer. It is then determined whether an imageis to be displayed on a screen of a client/terminal computer. If so, animage is sent from the server/host computer to client/terminal computer.The image may include any type of graphical information including abitmap, a JPEG file, a TIFF file or even an encoded audio/video streamsuch as a compressed video MPEG stream. The image is generated by gamecomputer program and passed to server/host interface program. In turn,the image is transferred over communication pathways to client/terminalcomputer via the network services provided by server operating system.The image is received by a client/terminal program executing on theclient/terminal computer via the network services provided by clientoperating system. The client/terminal program then causes the image tobe displayed on a screen of the client/terminal computer. It is thendetermined whether an input command has been entered by the patron usingthe client/terminal computer. The input command may be a keystroke,movement or clicking of the mouse, a voice activated command or even theclicking of a “virtual button” on a touch screen. The client/terminalprogram causes the input command to be transmitted back to server/hostcomputer via communication pathways, again using network servicesprovided by the client operating system on one end and server operatingsystem on the other. The command is thus received by the server/hostinterface program, that, in turn, passes the command back to the gameprogram. The game program processes the input command and updates thestate of the game accordingly.

However, more complicated gambling games need communication andprocessing systems that are better suited for implementing these morecomplicated gambling games. Various aspects of embodiments of thepresent invention meet such a need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the inventionprovide a communication and data processing system constructed for aninterleaved wagering system with interleaved wagering system with areconciliation system.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the invention, an applicationcontroller operates as an interface between an interactive controllerand a wager controller. By virtue of this aspect, the wager controlleris isolated from the interactive controller allowing the interactivecontroller to operate in an unregulated environment while allowing thewager controller to operate in a regulated environment, thus providingfor more efficient management of the operations of such a system.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a single wagercontroller may provide services to two or more interactive controllersand/or two or more application controllers, thus allowing an interleavedwagering system to operate more efficiently over a large range ofscaling.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, multiple typesof interactive controllers using different operating systems may beinterfaced to a single type of application controller and/or wagercontroller without requiring customization of the application controllerand/or the wager controller, thus improving the efficiency of theapplication controller and/or the wager controller by reducingcomplexity associated with maintaining separate application controllersand/or wager controllers for each type of interactive controller.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an interactivecontroller may be provided as a user device under control of a userwhile maintaining the wager controller in an environment under thecontrol of a regulated operator of wagering equipment, thus providingfor a more economical system as the regulated operator need not expendcapital to purchase interactive controllers.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, datacommunicated between the controllers may be encrypted to increasesecurity of the interleaved wagering system.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an applicationcontroller isolates wager logic and application logic as unregulatedlogic from a regulated wager controller, thus allowing errors in theapplication logic and/or wager logic to be corrected, new applicationlogic and/or wager logic to be used, or modifications to be made to theapplication logic and/or wager logic without a need for time-consumingregulatory approval.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an interactiveapplication may require extensive processing resources from aninteractive controller leaving few processing resources for thefunctions performed by an application controller and/or a wagercontroller. By virtue of an architecture of the embodiments of theinvention, processing loads may be distributed across multiple devicessuch that operations of the interactive controller may be dedicated tothe interactive application and the processes of the applicationcontroller and/or wager controller are not burdened by the requirementsof the interactive application.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an interleavedwagering system operates with its components being distributed acrossmultiple devices. These devices can be connected by communicationchannels including, but not limited to, local area networks, wide areanetworks, local communication buses, and/or the like. The devices maycommunicate using various types of protocols, including but not limitedto, networking protocols, device-to-device communications protocols, andthe like. In many such embodiments, one or more components of aninterleaved wagering system are distributed in close proximity to eachother and communicate using a local area network and/or a communicationbus. In several embodiments, an interactive controller and anapplication controller of an interleaved wagering system are in a commonlocation and communicate with an external wager controller. In someembodiments, an application controller and a wager controller of aninterleaved wagering system are in a common location and communicatewith an external interactive controller. In many embodiments, aninteractive controller, an application controller, and a wagercontroller of an interleaved wagering system are located in a commonlocation. In some embodiments, a session/management controller islocated in a common location with an application controller and/or awager controller. In various embodiments, these multiple devices can beconstructed from or configured using a single device or a plurality ofdevices such that an interleaved wagering system is executed as a systemin a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where a wagercontroller and an application controller are large scale centralizedservers in the cloud operatively connected to widely distributedinteractive controllers via a wide area network such as the Internet ora local area network. In such embodiments, the components of aninterleaved wagering system may communicate using a networking protocolor other type of device-to-device communications protocol.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a centralizedwager controller is operatively connected to, and communicates with, oneor more application controllers using a communication link. Thecentralized wager controller can generate wager outcomes for wagers inaccordance with one or more wagering propositions. The centralized wagercontroller can execute a number of simultaneous or pseudo-simultaneouswagers in order to generate wager outcomes for a variety of wageringpropositions that one or more distributed interleaved wagering system scan use.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, a centralizedapplication controller is operatively connected to one or moreinteractive controllers and one or more wager controllers using acommunication link. The centralized application controller can performthe functionality of an application controller across variousinterleaved wagering system s.

In another aspect of another embodiment of the invention, an interactiveapplication server provides a host for managing head-to-head playoperating over a network of interactive controllers connected to theinteractive application server using a communication link. Theinteractive application server provides an environment where users cancompete directly with one another and interact with other users.

In another embodiment, an interleaved wagering system with areconciliation system includes an interactive controller constructed toreceive a user input from a user, communicate the user input to anapplication controller, determine a first action outcome using the userinput; and communicate the action outcome to the application controller.The application controller operatively connects the interactivecontroller to a wager controller, and the application controller isconstructed to receive the user input and the action outcome from theinteractive controller, determine a second action outcome from the userinput, and_correct the first action outcome using the second actionoutcome based on a comparison of the first action outcome and the secondaction outcome.

In yet another embodiment, the interactive controller and theapplication controller are constructed from the same device, and theapplication controller is operatively connected to the wager controllerusing a communication link.

In yet another embodiment, the wager controller and the applicationcontroller are constructed from the same device, and the applicationcontroller is operatively connected to the interactive controller usinga communication link.

In yet another embodiment, the interleaved wagering system includes anenclosure constructed to mount: a user input device operativelyconnected to the interactive controller; a user output deviceoperatively connected to the interactive controller; a credit inputdevice operatively connected to the wager controller; and a creditoutput device operatively connected to the wager controller.

In some embodiments, the wager controller is further constructed to:communicate with the credit input device to receive a credit input;credit a credit meter with credits based on the incoming credit data;execute a wager based on a communication received from the applicationcontroller; update the credit meter based on a wager outcome of thewager; and communicate with the credit output device to generate acredit output based on credits transferred off of the credit meter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of an interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system in accordance with various embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of an electronic gaming machine or land-basedconfiguration of an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1C is another diagram of a land-based configuration of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1D is a diagram of an interactive configuration of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1E is a diagram of a mobile configuration of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are diagrams of distributed interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation systems in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controllerof an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controllerof an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a user management andsession controller of an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram for components of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of the structure of an interleaved wagering systemin accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of an interleaved wagering system inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart of interactions between components of aninterleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments ofthe invention.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of interactions between components of aninterleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system interleaveswagering with non-wagering activities. In some embodiments of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system an interactiveapplication executed by an interactive controller provides non-wageringcomponents of the interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem. The interactive controller is operatively connected to anapplication controller that manages and configures the interactiveapplication of the interactive controller and determines when wagersshould be interleaved with the operations of the interactiveapplication. The application controller is further operatively connectedto a wager controller that provides one or more wagering propositionsfor one or more wagers.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller also includes a wageringuser interface that is used to display data about a wagering process,including but not limited a wager outcome of a wager made in accordancewith a wagering proposition. The content of the wagering user interfaceis controlled by the application controller and includes contentprovided by the wager controller.

In several embodiments, a user or user interactions are represented inan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system by theelectronic representation of interactions between the user and theinteractive application, typically received via a user interface of theinteractive application, and a user profile of the interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system associated with the user.

Many different types of interactive applications may be utilized withthe interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system. In someembodiments, the interactive application reacts to the physical activityof the user. In these embodiments, the user interacts with theinteractive application through one or more sensors that monitor theuser's physical activities. Such sensors may include, but are notlimited to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of theuser, environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of theuser, accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the user, andlocation sensors that monitor the location of the user such as globalpositioning sensors.

In some embodiments, the interactive application is a skill-basedinteractive game that is played by the user.

In some embodiments, the interactive application is a tool used by theuser to achieve some useful goal.

In operation, a user interacts with the interactive application usingvarious types of elements of the interactive application in aninteractive application environment. Elements are interactiveapplication resources utilized by the user within the interactiveapplication environment to provide an interactive experience for theuser. Wagers of credits are made in accordance with a wageringproposition as triggered by the user's use of one or more of theelements of the interactive application. Wager outcomes of wagers ofcredits made in accordance with the wagering proposition can causeconsumption, loss or accrual of credits.

In accordance with some embodiments, wager outcomes of wagering eventscan influence elements in the interactive application such as, but notlimited to, providing one or more new elements, restoring one or moreconsumed elements, causing the loss of one or more elements, andrestoration or placement of one or more fixed elements.

In various embodiments, the wagers may be made using one or more credits(Cr).

In some embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits that are purchasedusing, and redeemed in, a real world currency having a real world value.

In many embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits in a virtualcurrency. Virtual currency is an alternate currency that can beacquired, purchased or transferred by or to a user, but does notnecessarily directly correlate to a real world currency. In many suchembodiments, Cr in a virtual currency are allowed to be purchased usinga real world currency but are prevented from being redeemed in a realworld currency having a real world value.

In several embodiments, during interaction with the interactiveapplication using the elements, a user can optionally consume and/oraccrue application environment credit (AC) within the interactiveapplication as a result of the user's use of the interactiveapplication. AC can be in the form of, but is not limited to,application environment credits, experience points, and pointsgenerally.

In various embodiments, when the interactive application is askill-based interactive game, AC is awarded to a player of theskill-based interactive game on the basis of the player's skillful playof the skill-based interactive game. In such embodiments, AC may beanalogous to the score in a typical video game. The skill-basedinteractive game can have one or more scoring criteria, embedded withinan application controller and/or an interactive controller that providesthe skill-based interactive game, that reflect user performance againstone or more goals of the skill-based interactive game.

In many embodiments, AC can be used to purchase in-application items,including but not limited to, application elements that have particularproperties, power ups for existing items, and other item enhancements.

In some embodiments, AC may be used to earn entrance into a sweepstakesdrawing, to earn entrance in a tournament with prizes, to score in thetournament, and/or to participate and/or score in any other game event.

In several embodiments, AC can be stored on a user-tracking card or in anetwork-based user tracking system where the AC is attributed to aspecific user.

In many embodiments, a wagering proposition includes a wager of AC for awager outcome of a randomly generated payout of interactive applicationAC, elements, and/or objects in accordance with a wagering proposition.

In a number of embodiments, a wager of an amount of Cr results in awager outcome of a payout of AC, elements, and/or objects that have anCr value if cashed out.

In some embodiments, in a case that an interactive application is askill-based interactive game, interactive application objects includein-application objects that may be used by a player of the skill-basedinteractive game to enhance the player's gameplay of the skill-basedinteractive game. Such objects include, but are not limited to,power-ups, enhanced in-application items, and the like. In someembodiments, the interactive application objects include objects thatare detrimental to the player's play of the skill-based interactive gamesuch as, but not limited to, obstructions in the game space, a temporaryplayer handicap, an enhanced opponent, and the like.

In some embodiments, elements in an interactive application include, butare not limited to, enabling elements (EE) that are interactiveapplication environment resources utilized during the user's use of theinteractive application and whose utilization by the user while usingthe interactive application triggers execution of a wager in accordancewith a wagering proposition. In another embodiment, elements in aninteractive application include, but are not limited to, a reserveenabling element (REE), that is an element that converts into one ormore enabling elements upon occurrence of a release event during aninteractive user session. In yet another embodiment, elements in aninteractive application include, but are not limited to, an actionableelement (AE) that is an element that is acted upon during use of theinteractive application to trigger a wager in accordance with a wageringproposition and may or may not be restorable during normal play of theinteractive application. In yet another embodiment, elements in aninteractive application include, but are not limited to, a commonenabling element (CEE) that is an element that may be shared by two ormore users and causes a wagering event and associated wager to betriggered in accordance with the wagering proposition when used by oneof the users during use of the interactive application. In someembodiments, in progressing through interactive application use, a usercan utilize elements during interactions with a controlled entity (CE).A CE is a character, entity, inanimate object, device or other objectunder control of a user.

In accordance with some embodiments of an interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system, the triggering of the wagering event and/orwager can be dependent upon an interactive application environmentvariable such as, but not limited to, a required object (RO), a requiredenvironmental condition (REC), or a controlled entity characteristic(CEC). A RO is a specific interactive application object in aninteractive application acted upon for an AE to be completed. Anon-limiting example of an RO is a specific key needed to open a door.An REC is an interactive application state present within an interactiveapplication for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of an RECis daylight whose presence enables a character to walk through woods. ACEC is a status of the CE within an interactive application for an AE tobe completed. A non-limiting example of a CEC is requirement that a CEhave full health points before entering battle. Although variousinteractive application resources such as, but not limited to, the typesof interactive application elements as discussed herein may be used totrigger a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition, one skilledin the art will recognize that any interactive application resource canbe utilized in an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systemto trigger of a wager as appropriate to the specification of a specificapplication in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In several embodiments, an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system can utilize an application controller to monitoruse of the interactive application executed by an interactive controllerfor detecting a trigger of a wagering event. The trigger for thewagering event can be detected by the application controller from theutilization of the interactive application in accordance with at leastone wagering event occurrence rule. The trigger of the wagering eventcan be communicated to a wager controller. In response to notificationof the trigger, the wager controller executes a wager in accordance witha wagering proposition. In addition, use of an interactive applicationin an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system can bemodified by the application controller based upon the wager outcome.

In several embodiments, a wagering event occurrence can be determinedfrom one or more application environment variables within an interactiveapplication that are used to trigger a wager and/or associated wager inaccordance with a wagering proposition. Application environmentvariables can include, but are not limited to, passage of a period oftime during interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systeminteractive application use, a result from an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system interactive application user session(such as, but not limited to, achieving a goal or a particular score), auser action that is a consumption of an element, or a user action thatachieves a combination of elements to be associated with a user profile.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application instruction is aninstruction to an interactive controller and/or an interactiveapplication to modify an interactive application application state ormodify one or more interactive application resources. In someembodiments, the interactive application instructions may be based uponone or more of a wager outcome and application environment variables. Aninteractive application instruction can modify any aspect of aninteractive application, such as, but not limited to, an addition of aperiod of time available for a current interactive application usersession for the interactive application of interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system, an addition of a period of time availablefor a future interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systeminteractive application user session or any other modification to theinteractive application elements that can be utilized during interactiveapplication use. In some embodiments, an interactive applicationinstruction can modify a type of element whose consumption triggers awagering event occurrence. In many embodiments, an interactiveapplication instruction can modify a type of element whose consumptionis not required in a wagering event occurrence.

In a number of embodiments, a user interface can be utilized thatdepicts a status of the interactive application in the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system. A user interface can depictany aspect of an interactive application including, but not limited to,an illustration of interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem interactive application use advancement as a user uses theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

In some embodiments, an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem including an application controller operatively connected to awager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controllermay provide for interleaving entertainment content from an interactiveapplication. The interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systemprovides for random wager outcomes in accordance with the wageringproposition that are independent of user skill while providing aninteractive experience to the user that may be shaped by the user'sskill.

In several embodiments, an application controller of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system may provide for acommunications interface for asynchronous communications between a wagercontroller and an interactive application provided by an interactivecontroller, by operatively connecting the interactive controller, andthus the interactive controller's interactive application, with thewager controller. In some embodiments, asynchronous communicationsprovided for by an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem may reduce an amount of idle waiting time by an interactivecontroller of the interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem, thus increasing an amount of processing resources that theinteractive controller may provide to an interactive application orother processes of the interactive controller. In many embodiments,asynchronous communications provided for by an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system reduces an amount of idle waiting timeby a wager controller, thus increasing an amount of processing resourcesthat the wager controller may provide to execution of wagers todetermine wager outcomes, and other processes provided by the wagercontroller. In some embodiments, a wager controller of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system may be operatively connectedto a plurality of interactive controllers through one or moreapplication controllers and the asynchronous communications provided forby the one or more application controllers allows the wager controllerto operate more efficiently and provide wager outcomes to a largernumber of interactive controllers than would be achievable without theone or more application controllers of the interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system.

In some embodiments, an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem including an application controller operatively connected to awager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controllermay provide for simplified communication protocols for communications ofthe interactive controller as the interactive controller may communicateuser interactions with an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller to the application controller without regard to anature of a wagering proposition to be interleaved with processes of theinteractive application.

In various embodiments, an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system including an application controller operativelyconnected to a wager controller and operatively connected to aninteractive controller may provide for simplified communicationprotocols for communications of the wager controller as the wagercontroller may receive wager requests and communicate wager outcomeswithout regard to a nature of an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller.

Wagering Interleaved Systems with Reconciliation System

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a structure of an interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system in accordance with various embodiments of theinvention. The interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system128 includes an interactive controller 120, an application controller112, and a wager controller 102. The interactive controller 120 isoperatively connected to, and communicates with, the applicationcontroller 112. The application controller 112 is also operativelyconnected to, and communicates with, the wager controller 102.

In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 is a controller forproviding one or more wagering propositions provided by the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system 128 and executes wagers inaccordance with the wagering propositions. Types of value of a wager canbe one or more of several different types. Types of value of a wager caninclude, but are not limited to, a wager of an amount of Crcorresponding to a real currency or a virtual currency, a wager of anamount of AC earned by the player through use of an interactiveapplication, a wager of an amount of elements of an interactiveapplication, and a wager of an amount of objects used in an interactiveapplication. A wager outcome determined for a wager in accordance with awagering proposition can increase or decrease an amount of the type ofvalue used in the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing anamount of Cr for a wager of Cr. In various embodiments, a wager outcomedetermined for a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition canincrease or decrease an amount of a type of value that is different thana type of value of the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing anamount of an object of an interactive application for a wager of Cr.

In many embodiments, the wager controller 120 includes one or morepseudo random or random number generators (P/RNG) 106 for generatingrandom results, one or more paytables 108 for determining a wageroutcome from the random results, and one or more credit or value meters110 for storing amounts of wagered and won credits.

The one or more P/RNG generators 106 execute processes that can generaterandom or pseudo random results. The one or more paytables 108 aretables that can be used in conjunction with the random or pseudo randomresults to determine a wager outcome including an amount of Cr, AC,elements or objects won as a function of interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system use. There can be one or more paytables 108in the wager controller 102. The paytables 108 are used to implement oneor more wagering propositions in conjunction with a random output of therandom or pseudo random results.

In some embodiments, selection of a paytable to use to execute a wagercan be based on factors including, but not limited to, interactiveapplication progress a user has achieved through use of the interactiveapplication, user identification, and eligibility of the user for bonusrounds.

In various embodiments, the interactive controller 120 provides aninteractive application 143 and provides human input devices (HIDs) andoutput devices for interacting with the user 140. The interactivecontroller 120 provides for user interactions 142 with the interactiveapplication 143 by receiving input from a user through the HIDs andproviding outputs such as video, audio and/or other sensory output tothe user using the output devices.

The interactive controller 120 is operatively connected to, andcommunicates with, the application controller 112. The interactivecontroller communicates application telemetry data 124 to theapplication controller 112 and receives application instructions andresources 136 from the application controller 112. Via the communicationof application instructions and resources 136, the applicationcontroller 112 can communicate certain interactive application resourcesincluding control parameters to the interactive application 143 toaffect the interactive application's execution by the interactivecontroller 120. In various embodiments, these interactive applicationcontrol parameters can be based on a wager outcome of a wager that wastriggered by an element in the interactive application being utilized oracted upon by the user.

In some embodiments, execution of the interactive application by theinteractive controller 120 communicates user interactions with theinteractive application to the application controller 112. Theapplication telemetry data 124 includes, but is not limited to, theuser's utilization of the elements in the interactive application.

In some embodiments, the interactive application 143 is a skill-basedinteractive game. In such embodiments, execution of the skill-basedinteractive game by the interactive controller 120 is based on theuser's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. Theinteractive controller 120 can also communicate user choices made in theskill-based interactive game to the application controller 112 includedin the application telemetry data 124 such as, but not limited to, theuser's utilization of the elements of the skill-based interactive gameduring the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. Insuch an embodiment, the application controller is interfaced to theinteractive controller 120 in order to allow the coupling of theskill-based interactive game to wagers made in accordance with awagering proposition.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 120 includes one or moresensors 138 that sense various aspects of the physical environment ofthe interactive controller 120. Examples of sensors include, but are notlimited to: global positioning sensors (GPSs) for sensing communicationsfrom a GPS system to determine a position or location of the interactivecontroller; temperature sensors; accelerometers; pressure sensors; andthe like. Sensor telemetry data 128 is communicated by the interactivecontroller to the application controller 112. The application controller112 receives the sensor telemetry data 128 and uses the sensor telemetrydata to make wager decisions.

In many embodiments, the interactive controller includes a wagering userinterface 148 used to display wagering data to the user.

In various embodiments, an application control layer 131 resident in theinteractive controller 120 provides an interface between the interactivecontroller 120 and the application controller 112. The applicationcontrol layer 131 implements an interactive controller to applicationcontroller communication protocol employing a device-to-devicecommunication protocol

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 includes aninteractive controller interface 161 to an interactive controller. Theinteractive controller interface 161 provides for the communication ofdata between the interactive controller and the application controller,including but not limited to wager telemetry data 146, applicationinstructions and resources 136, application telemetry data 124, andsensor telemetry data 128.

In many embodiments, application controller 112 provides an interfacebetween the interactive application 143 provided by the interactivecontroller 120 and a wagering proposition provided by the wagercontroller 102.

In various embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a wagercontroller interface 163 to a wager controller. The wager controllerinterface provides for communication of data between the applicationcontroller 112 and the wager controller, including but not limited towager outcome data 130 and wager execution instructions 129.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a usermanagement and session controller interface 165 to a user management andsession controller. The user management and session controller interfaceprovides for communication of data between the application controller112 and the user management and session controller, including but notlimited to user session control data 154 and user session telemetry data152.

The application controller 112 includes a rule-based decision engine 122that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry data 124 andsensor telemetry data 128, from the interactive controller 120. Therule-based decision engine 122 uses the telemetry data, along withtrigger logic 126 to generate wager execution instructions 129 that areused by the application controller 112 to instruct the wager controller120 to execute a wager. The wager execution data is communicated by theapplication controller 112 to the wager controller 102. The wagercontroller 102 receives the wager execution instructions 129 andexecutes a wager in accordance with the wager execution instructions.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry data 124 includes, but isnot limited to, application environment variables that indicate thestate of the interactive application 143 being used by a user 140,interactive controller data indicating the state of the interactivecontroller, and user actions and interactions 142 between the user andthe interactive application 143 provided by the interactive controller120. The wager execution instructions 129 may include, but are notlimited to, an amount and type of the wager, a trigger of the wager, anda selection of a paytable 108 to be used when executing the wager.

In some embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 122 also receiveswager outcome data 130 from the wager controller 102. The decisionengine 122 uses the wager outcome data 130, in conjunction with thetelemetry data and application logic 132 to generate applicationdecisions 134 communicated to an application resource generator 138. Theapplication resource generator 138 receives the application decisionsand uses the application decisions to generate application instructionsand application resources 136 to be communicated to the interactiveapplication 143.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 130 includes game state dataabout execution of a gambling game that underlies a wageringproposition, including but not limited to a final state, intermediatestate and/or beginning state of the gambling game. For example, in agambling game that is a slot math-based game, the final state of thegambling game may be reel positions, in a gambling game that is aroulette wheel-based game, the final state may be a pocket where a ballmay have come to rest, in a gambling game that is a card-based game, thebeginning, intermediate and final states may represent a play of cards,etc.

In many embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a pseudorandom or random result generator used to generate random results thatare communicated to the application resource generator 138. Theapplication resource generator 138 uses the random results to generateapplication instructions and application resources 136 used by theapplication controller 112 to instruct the interactive controller 120.

In various embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 122 alsodetermines an amount of AC to award to the user 140 based at least inpart on the user's use of the interactive application of the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system as determined from theapplication telemetry data 124. In some embodiments, wager outcome data130 may also be used to determine the amount of AC that should beawarded to the user.

In numerous embodiments, the interactive application is a skill-basedinteractive game and the AC is awarded to the user for the user'sskillful play of the skill-based interactive game.

In some embodiments, the application decisions 134 and wager outcomedata 130 are communicated to a wagering user interface generator 144.The wagering user interface generator 144 receives the applicationdecisions 134 and wager outcome data 130 and generates wager telemetryinstructions 146 used by the application controller 112 to instruct theinteractive controller to generate a wagering user interface 148describing the state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss forthe interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system. In someembodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may include, but is notlimited to, amounts of AC and elements earned, lost or accumulated bythe user through use of the interactive application as determined fromthe application decisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated asdetermined from the wager outcome data 130 and the one or more meters110.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 130 also includes data aboutone or more game states of a gambling game executed in accordance with awagering proposition by the wager controller 102. In various suchembodiments, the wagering user interface generator 144 generates agambling game process display and/or gambling game state display usingthe one or more game states of the gambling game. The gambling gameprocess display and/or gambling game state display is included in thewager telemetry data 146 that is communicated to the interactivecontroller 120. The gambling game process display and/or a gambling gamestate display is displayed by the wagering user interface 148 to theuser 140. In other such embodiments, the one or more game states of thegambling game are communicated to the interactive controller 120 and theinteractive controller 120 is instructed to generate the gambling gameprocess display and/or gambling game state display of the wagering userinterface 148 using the one or more game states of the gambling game fordisplay to the user 140.

The application controller 112 can further operatively connect to thewager controller 102 to determine an amount of credit or elementsavailable and other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus,the application controller 112 may potentially affect an amount of Cr inplay for participation in the wagering events of a gambling gameprovided by the wager controller 102 in some embodiments. Theapplication controller 112 may additionally include various audit logsand activity meters. In some embodiments, the application controller 112can also couple to a centralized server for exchanging various datarelated to the user and the activities of the user during game play ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

In many embodiments, one or more users can be engaged in using theinteractive application executed by the interactive controller 120. Invarious embodiments, an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem can include an interactive application that provides askill-based interactive game that includes head-to-head play between asingle user and a computing device, between two or more users againstone another, or multiple users playing against a computer device and/oreach other. In some embodiments, the interactive application can be askill-based interactive game where the user is not skillfully playingagainst the computer or any other user such as skill-based interactivegames where the user is effectively skillfully playing against himselfor herself.

In some embodiments, the operation of the application controller 112does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by the wagercontroller 102 except for user choice parameters that are allowable inaccordance with the wagering proposition. Examples of user choiceparameters include, but are not limited to: wager terms such as but notlimited to a wager amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressinga button or pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement towager into a bonus round.

In various embodiments, wager outcome data 130 communicated from thewager controller 102 can also be used to convey a status operation ofthe wager controller 102.

In a number of embodiments, communication of the wager executioninstructions 129 between the wager controller 102 and the applicationcontroller 112 can further be used to communicate various wageringcontrol factors that the wager controller 102 uses as input. Examples ofwagering control factors include, but are not limited to, an amount ofCr, AC, elements, or objects consumed per wagering event, and/or theuser's election to enter a jackpot round.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes thewagering user interface 148 to communicate certain interactiveapplication data to the user, including but not limited to, club points,user status, control of the selection of choices, and messages which auser can find useful in order to adjust the interactive applicationexperience or understand the wagering status of the user in accordancewith the wagering proposition in the wager controller 102.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes thewagering user interface 148 to communicate aspects of a wageringproposition to the user including, but not limited to, odds of certainwager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in play, andamounts of Cr, AC, elements, or objects available.

In a number of embodiments, the wager controller 102 can accept wagerproposition factors including, but not limited to, modifications in theamount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered on each individualwagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wagercontroller 102 can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and otherfactors. An example of a varying wager amount that the user can choosecan include, but is not limited to, using a more difficult interactiveapplication level associated with an amount of a wager. These factorscan increase or decrease an amount wagered per individual wageringproposition in the same manner that a standard slot machine player candecide to wager more or less credits for each pull of the handle. Inseveral embodiments, the wager controller 102 can communicate a numberof factors back and forth to the application controller 112, via aninterface, such that an increase/decrease in a wagered amount can berelated to the change in user profile of the user in the interactiveapplication. In this manner, a user can control a wager amount perwagering event in accordance with the wagering proposition with thechange mapping to a parameter or component that is applicable to theinteractive application experience.

In some embodiments, a user management and session controller 150 isused to authorize an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem user session. The user management and session controller receivesgame user session data 152, that may include, but is not limited to,user, interactive controller, application controller and wagercontroller data from the application controller 112. The user managementand session controller 150 uses the user, interactive controller,application controller and wager controller data to regulate aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system user session. Insome embodiments, the user management and session controller 150 mayalso assert control of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system game user session 154. Such control may include,but is not limited to, ending an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system game user session, initiating wagering in aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system game usersession, ending wagering in an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system game user session but not ending a user's play ofthe interactive application portion of the interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system, and changing from real credit wagering in aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system to virtual creditwagering, or vice versa.

In many embodiments, the user management and session controller 150manages user profiles for a plurality of users. The user management andsession controller 150 stores and manages data about users in order toprovide authentication and authorization of users of the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system 128. In some embodiments, theuser management and session controller 150 also manages geolocationinformation to ensure that the interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system i128 is only used by users in jurisdictions weregaming is approved. In various embodiments, the user management andsession controller 150 stores application credits that are associatedwith the user's use of the interactive application of the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system 128.

In various embodiments, the application controller operates as aninterface between the interactive controller and the wager controller.By virtue of this construction, the wager controller is isolated fromthe interactive controller allowing the interactive controller tooperate in an unregulated environment will allowing the wager controllerto operate in a regulated environment.

In some embodiments, a single wager controller may provide services totwo or more interactive controllers and/or two or more applicationcontrollers, thus allowing an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system to operate over a large range of scaling.

In various embodiments, multiple types of interactive controllers usingdifferent operating systems may be interfaced to a single type ofapplication controller and/or wager controller without requiringcustomization of the application controller and/or the wager controller.

In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be provided as a userdevice under control of a user while maintaining the wager controller inan environment under the control of a regulated operator of wageringequipment.

In several embodiments, data communicated between the controllers may beencrypted to increase security of the interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system.

In some embodiments, the application controller isolates trigger logicand application logic as unregulated logic from a regulated wagercontroller, thus allowing errors in the application logic and/or triggerlogic to be corrected, new application logic and/or trigger logic to beused, or modifications to be made to the application logic and/ortrigger logic without a need for regulatory approval.

In various embodiments, an interactive application may require extensiveprocessing resources from an interactive controller leaving fewprocessing resources for the functions performed by an applicationcontroller and/or a wager controller. By virtue of the architecturedescribed herein, processing loads may be distributed across multipledevices such that operations of the interactive controller may bededicated to the interactive application and the processes of theapplication controller and/or wager controller are not burdened by therequirements of the interactive application.

In many embodiments, an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem operates with its components being distributed across multipledevices. These devices can be connected by communication channelsincluding, but not limited to, local area networks, wide area networks,local communication buses, and/or the like. The devices may communicateusing various types of protocols, including but not limited to,networking protocols, device-to-device communications protocols, and thelike.

In some embodiments, one or more components of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system are distributed in close proximity toeach other and communicate using a local area network and/or acommunication bus. In several embodiments, an interactive controller andan application controller of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system are in a common location and communicate with anexternal wager controller. In some embodiments, an applicationcontroller and a wager controller of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system are in a common location and communicate with anexternal interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactivecontroller, an application controller, and a wager controller of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system are located in acommon location. In some embodiments, a user management and sessioncontroller is located in a common location with an applicationcontroller and/or a wager controller.

In various embodiments, These multiple devices can be constructed fromor configured using a single server or a plurality of servers such thatan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system is executed asa system in a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where awager controller and an application controller are large scalecentralized servers in the cloud operatively connected to widelydistributed interactive controllers via a wide area network such as theInternet or a local area network. In such embodiments, the components ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system maycommunicate using a networking protocol or other type ofdevice-to-device communications protocol.

In many embodiments, a centralized wager controller is operativelyconnected to, and communicates with, one or more application controllersusing a communication link. The centralized wager controller cangenerate wager outcomes for wagers in accordance with one or morewagering propositions. The centralized wager controller can execute anumber of simultaneous or pseudo-simultaneous wagers in order togenerate wager outcomes for a variety of wagering propositions that oneor more distributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystems can use.

In several embodiments, a centralized application controller isoperatively connected to one or more interactive controllers and one ormore wager controllers using a communication link. The centralizedapplication controller can perform the functionality of an applicationcontroller across various interleaved wagering system withreconciliation systems.

In a variety of embodiments, management of user profile data can beperformed by a user management and session controller operativelyconnected to, and communicating with, one or more applicationcontrollers, wager controllers and interactive controllers using acommunication link. A user management and session controller can managedata related to a user profile. The managed data in the user profile mayinclude, but is not limited to, data concerning controlled entities(characters) in interactive application use, user performance metricsfor a type or class of interactive application, interactive applicationelements acquired by a user; Cr and AC associated with a particularuser, and tournament reservations.

Although a user management and session controller is discussed as beingseparate from an application controller server, a centralizedapplication controller server may also perform the functions of a usermanagement and session controller in some embodiments.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application server provides ahost for managing head-to-head play operating over a network ofinteractive controllers connected to the interactive application serverusing a communication link. The interactive application server providesan environment where users can compete directly with one another andinteract with other users.

Processing devices connected using a communication link to constructinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation systems in accordancewith many embodiments of the invention can communicate with each otherto provide services utilized by an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system. In several embodiments, a wager controller cancommunicate with an application controller using a communication link.In some embodiments, the wager controller can communicate with anapplication controller to communicate any type of data as appropriatefor a specific application. Examples of the data that may becommunicated include, but are not limited to, data used to configure thevarious simultaneous or pseudo simultaneous wager controllers executingin parallel within the wager controller to accomplish interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system functionalities; data used todetermine metrics of wager controller performance such as wagers runand/or wager outcomes for tracking system performance; data used toperform audits and/or provide operator reports; and data used to requestthe results of a wager outcome for use in one or more function(s)operating within the application controller such as, but not limited to,automatic drawings for prizes that are a function of interactivecontroller performance.

In several embodiments, an application controller can communicate withan interactive application server using a communication link when theinteractive application server is also communicating with one or moreinteractive controllers using a communication link. An applicationcontroller can communicate with an interactive application server tocommunicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application.The data that may be communicated between an application controller andan interactive application server includes, but is not limited to, thedata for management of an interactive application server by anapplication controller server during an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system tournament. In an example embodiment, anapplication controller may not be aware of the relationship of theapplication controller to the rest of a tournament since the actualtournament play may be managed by the interactive application server.Therefore, management of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system can include, but is not limited to tasksincluding, but not limited to, conducting tournaments according tosystem programming that can be coordinated by an operator of theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system; allowing entryof a particular user into a tournament; communicating the number ofusers in a tournament; and the status of the tournament (such as, butnot limited to the amount of surviving users, the status of eachsurviving user within the game, and time remaining on the tournament);communicating the performance of users within the tournament;communicating the scores of the various users in the tournament; andproviding a synchronizing link to connect the application controllers ina tournament with their respective interactive controllers.

In several embodiments, an application controller can communicate with auser management and session controller using a communication link. Anapplication controller can communicate with a user management andsession controller to communicate any type of data as appropriate for aspecific application. Examples of data communicated between anapplication controller and a user management and session controllerinclude, but are not limited to, data for configuring tournamentsaccording to system programming conducted by an operator of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system; data forexchange of data used to link a user's user profile to an ability toparticipate in various forms of interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system use (such as but not limited to the difficulty ofplay set by the application controller server for an interactiveapplication that is a skill-based interactive game); data fordetermining a user's ability to participate in a tournament as afunction of a user's characteristics (such as but not limited to auser's prowess or other metrics used for tournament screening); data forconfiguring application controller and interactive controllerperformance to suit preferences of a user on a particular interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system; and data for determining auser's use and wagering performance for the purposes of marketingintelligence; and data for logging secondary drawing awards, tournamentprizes, Cr and/or AC into the user profile.

In many embodiments, an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem can be distributed across one or more processing devices, withthe actual location of where various process are executed being locatedeither on an end device (user management and session controller, wagercontroller, application controller, interactive controller), on servers(user management and session controller, wager controller, applicationcontroller, or interactive application server), or a combination of bothend devices and servers. In a number of embodiments, certain functionsof a wager controller, application controller, and/or interactiveapplication server can operate on a local wager controller, localapplication controller and/or local interactive controller used toconstruct an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systembeing provided locally on a device. In some embodiments, a controller orserver can be part of a server system including multiple servers, whereapplications can be run on one or more physical devices. Similarly, inparticular embodiments, multiple servers can be combined on a singlephysical device.

In many embodiments, an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem can be distributed across one or more processing devices that arein close proximity to each other, such as a common enclosure. In such anembodiment, the one or more processing devices can be operativelyconnected using communication links that incorporate an interdevicecommunication protocol over a serial or parallel physical link.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a land-based configuration of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention. Land-based configurations are suitable fordeployment in a gaming establishment. A land-based configuration of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system 156 includes aninteractive controller 158, an application controller 160 and a wagercontroller 162 housed in a common enclosure. The application controller160 is operatively connected to an external session/user managementcontroller 164. The wager controller 162 is operatively connected to aticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) controller 166 or other type of creditcontroller. The wager controller 162 communicates with the TITOcontroller 166 to obtain amounts of credits used for wagering. Inoperation, the wager controller 162 uses a bill validator/ticket scanner168 to scan a TITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of acredit account of the TITO controller 166. The wager controller 162communicates the credit account data to the TITO controller 166. TheTITO controller 166 uses the credit account data to determine an amountof credits to transfer to the wager controller 162. The TITO controller166 communicates the amount of credits to the wager controller 162. Thewager controller 162 credits the one or more credit meters with theamount of credits so that the credits can be used when a user makeswagers using the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system156. In addition, the wager controller 162 can use the TITO controller166 along with a ticket printer 170 to generate a TITO ticket for auser. In operation, the wager controller 162 communicates an amount ofcredits for a credit account on the TITO controller 166. The TITOcontroller 166 receives the amount of credits and creates the creditaccount and credits the credit account with the amount of credits. TheTITO controller 166 generates credit account data for the credit accountand communicates the credit account data to the wager controller 162.The wager controller 162 uses the ticket printer 170 to print indicia ofthe credit account data onto a TITO ticket.

In several embodiments, the wager controller 162 is operativelyconnected to a credit processing system (not shown) via an interface.The wager controller 162 communicates with the credit processing systemto receive incoming credit data from the credit processing system. Thewager controller 162 uses the incoming credit data to transfer creditsinto the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system and ontothe one or more credit meters. The wager controller 162 communicatesoutgoing credit data to the credit processing system to transfer creditsoff of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system.

In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes one or morecredit input devices for generating incoming credit data from a creditinput. Credit inputs can include, but are not limited to, credit itemsused to transfer credits. The incoming credit data are communicated tothe wager controller 162. In various embodiments, the one or more creditinput devices and their corresponding credit items include, but are notlimited to: card readers for reading cards having magnetic stripes, RFIDchips, smart chips, and the like; scanners for reading various types ofprinted indicia printed on to various types of media such as vouchers,coupons, ticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) tickets, rewritable cards, or thelike; and bill and/or coin validators that receive and validate paperand/or coin currency or tokens.

In various embodiments, the credit processing system includes one ormore credit output devices for generating a credit output based onoutgoing credit data communicated from the wager controller. Creditoutputs can include, but are not limited to, credit items used totransfer credits. Types of credit output devices and their correspondingcredit items may include, but are not limited to: writing devices thatare used to write to cards having magnetic stripes, smart chips or thelike; printers for printing various types of printed indicia ontovouchers, coupons, TITO tickets, vouchers, rewritable cards or the like;and bill and/or coin hoppers that output paper and/or coin currency ortokens.

In some embodiments, the credit processing system are operativelyconnected to, and communicate with, a TITO controller or the like todetermine incoming credit data representing amounts of credits to betransferred into the interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem and to determine outgoing credit data representing amounts ofcredits to be transferred out of the interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system. In operation, the credit processing systemcommunicate with a connected credit input device, such as a billvalidator/ticket scanner, used to scan a credit input in the form of aTITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of a credit account ofthe TITO controller. The credit processing system communicates thecredit account data to the TITO controller. The TITO controller uses thecredit account data to determine an amount of credits to transfer to thecredit processing system, and thus to the wager controller 162 of theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system. The TITOcontroller communicates the amount of credits to the credit processingsystem. The credit processing system communicates the amount of creditsas incoming credit data to the wager controller 162 and the wagercontroller 162 credits one or more credit meters with the amount ofcredits so that the credits can be used when a user makes wagers usingthe interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes a billvalidator/ticket scanner as one of the one or more credit input devices.The credit processing system communicates with the bill validator/ticketscanner to scan currency used as a credit input to determine an amountof credits as incoming credit data to transfer credit to one or morecredit meters associated with one or more users. The wager controller162 credits the one or more credit meters with the amount of credits sothat the credits can be used when a user makes wagers using theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

In some embodiments, the credit processing system can use a TITOcontroller along with a ticket or voucher printer as one of the one ormore credit output devices to generate a TITO ticket as a credit outputfor a user. In operation, the credit processing system communicates, asoutgoing credit data, data of an amount of credits to be credited to acredit account on the TITO controller. The TITO controller receives theamount of credits and creates the credit account and credits the creditaccount with the amount of credits. The TITO controller generates creditaccount data for the credit account and communicates the credit accountdata to the credit processing system. The credit processing system usesthe ticket or voucher printer to print indicia of the credit accountdata onto a TITO ticket as a credit output.

In various embodiments, the credit processing system provides aninterface to an electronic payment management system (not shown) such anelectronic wallet or the like. The electronic payment system providescredit account data that is used for generating incoming credit data asa credit input and outgoing credit data as a credit output.

In several embodiments, during operation, the wager controller 162communicates with the credit processing system to receive incomingcredit data from the credit processing system and adds credits onto theone or more credit meters at least partially on the basis of theincoming credit data. The one or more random number generators 106execute processes that generate random results. The wager controlleruses the one or more paytables 108 to map the random results to a wageroutcome. The wager controller 162 adds credits to, or deducts creditsfrom, the one or more credit meters based in part on the wager outcome.For example, in some embodiments, the wager controller 162 adds anamount of credits to the one or more credit meters when the wageroutcome indicates a win and deducts an amount of credits from the one ormore credit meters when the wager outcome indicates a loss or a partialwin. At an end of a wagering session, the wager controller 162 transferscredits off of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system by communicating outgoingcredit data to the credit processing system.

FIG. 1C is a diagram of another land-based configuration of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention. A land-based configuration ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system 172 includesan interactive controller 172, an application controller 174 and a wagercontroller 176 housed in a common enclosure. The application controller174 is operatively connected to an external session/user managementcontroller 178. The wager controller 176 is operatively connected to aticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) controller 180 or other type of creditcontroller. The wager controller 176 communicates with the TITOcontroller 180 to obtain amounts of credits used for wagering. Inoperation, the wager controller 176 uses a bill validator/ticket scanner182 to scan a TITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of acredit account of the TITO controller 180. The wager controller 176communicates the credit account data to the TITO controller 180. TheTITO controller 180 uses the credit account data to determine an amountof credits to transfer to the wager controller 176. The TITO controller180 communicates the amount of credits to the wager controller 176. Thewager controller 176 receives the amount of credits and credits the oneor more credit meters with the amount of credits so that the credits canbe used when a user makes wagers using the interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system 172. In addition, the wager controller 176can use the TITO controller 180 along with a ticket printer 184 togenerate a TITO ticket for a user. In operation, the wager controller176 communicates an amount of credits for a credit account on the TITOcontroller 180. The TITO controller 180 receives the amount of creditsand creates the credit account and credits the credit account with theamount of credits. The TITO controller 180 generates credit account datafor the credit account and communicates the credit account data to thewager controller 176. The wager controller 176 uses the ticket printer184 to print indicia of the credit account data onto a TITO ticket.

The wager controller 176 is operatively connected to a centraldetermination controller 186. In operation, when the wager controller176 needs to determine a wager outcome, the wager controllercommunicates a request to the central determination controller 186 forthe wager outcome. The central determination controller 186 receives thewager outcome request and generates a wager outcome in response to thewager request. The central determination controller 186 communicates thewager outcome to the wager controller 176. The wager controller 176receives the wager outcome and utilizes the wager outcome as describedherein. In some embodiments, the wager outcome is drawn from a pool ofpre-determined wager outcomes. In some embodiments, the wager outcome isa pseudo random result or random result that is utilized by the wagercontroller along with paytables to determine a wager outcome asdescribed herein.

In several embodiments, the wager controller 176 is operativelyconnected to a credit processing system (not shown) via an interface.The wager controller 176 communicates with the credit processing systemto receive incoming credit data from the credit processing system. Thewager controller 176 uses the incoming credit data to transfer creditsinto the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system and ontothe one or more credit meters. The wager controller 176 communicatesoutgoing credit data to the credit processing system to transfer creditsoff of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system.

In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes one or morecredit input devices for generating incoming credit data from a creditinput. Credit inputs can include, but are not limited to, credit itemsused to transfer credits. The incoming credit data are communicated tothe wager controller 176. In various embodiments, the one or more creditinput devices and their corresponding credit items include, but are notlimited to: card readers for reading cards having magnetic stripes, RFIDchips, smart chips, and the like; scanners for reading various types ofprinted indicia printed on to various types of media such as vouchers,coupons, ticket-in-ticket-out (TITO) tickets, rewritable cards, or thelike; and bill and/or coin validators that receive and validate paperand/or coin currency or tokens.

In various embodiments, the credit processing system includes one ormore credit output devices for generating a credit output based onoutgoing credit data communicated from the wager controller. Creditoutputs can include, but are not limited to, credit items used totransfer credits. Types of credit output devices and their correspondingcredit items may include, but are not limited to: writing devices thatare used to write to cards having magnetic stripes, smart chips or thelike; printers for printing various types of printed indicia ontovouchers, coupons, TITO tickets, vouchers, rewritable cards or the like;and bill and/or coin hoppers that output paper and/or coin currency ortokens.

In some embodiments, the credit processing system are operativelyconnected to, and communicate with, a TITO controller or the like todetermine incoming credit data representing amounts of credits to betransferred into the interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem and to determine outgoing credit data representing amounts ofcredits to be transferred out of the interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system. In operation, the credit processing systemcommunicate with a connected credit input device, such as a billvalidator/ticket scanner, used to scan a credit input in the form of aTITO ticket having indicia of credit account data of a credit account ofthe TITO controller. The credit processing system communicates thecredit account data to the TITO controller. The TITO controller uses thecredit account data to determine an amount of credits to transfer to thecredit processing system, and thus to the wager controller 176 of theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system. The TITOcontroller communicates the amount of credits to the credit processingsystem. The credit processing system communicates the amount of creditsas incoming credit data to the wager controller 176 and the wagercontroller 176 credits one or more credit meters with the amount ofcredits so that the credits can be used when a user makes wagers usingthe interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

In many embodiments, the credit processing system includes a billvalidator/ticket scanner as one of the one or more credit input devices.The credit processing system communicates with the bill validator/ticketscanner to scan currency used as a credit input to determine an amountof credits as incoming credit data to transfer credit to one or morecredit meters associated with one or more users. The wager controller176 credits the one or more credit meters with the amount of credits sothat the credits can be used when a user makes wagers using theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

In some embodiments, the credit processing system can use a TITOcontroller along with a ticket or voucher printer as one of the one ormore credit output devices to generate a TITO ticket as a credit outputfor a user. In operation, the credit processing system communicates, asoutgoing credit data, data of an amount of credits to be credited to acredit account on the TITO controller. The TITO controller receives theamount of credits and creates the credit account and credits the creditaccount with the amount of credits. The TITO controller generates creditaccount data for the credit account and communicates the credit accountdata to the credit processing system. The credit processing system usesthe ticket or voucher printer to print indicia of the credit accountdata onto a TITO ticket as a credit output.

In various embodiments, the credit processing system provides aninterface to an electronic payment management system (not shown) such anelectronic wallet or the like. The electronic payment system providescredit account data that is used for generating incoming credit data asa credit input and outgoing credit data as a credit output.

In several embodiments, during operation, the wager controller 176communicates with the credit processing system to receive incomingcredit data from the credit processing system and adds credits onto theone or more credit meters at least partially on the basis of theincoming credit data. The one or more random number generators 106execute processes that generate random results. The wager controlleruses the one or more paytables 108 to map the random results to a wageroutcome. The wager controller 176 adds credits to, or deducts creditsfrom, the one or more credit meters based in part on the wager outcome.For example, in some embodiments, the wager controller 176 adds anamount of credits to the one or more credit meters when the wageroutcome indicates a win and deducts an amount of credits from the one ormore credit meters when the wager outcome indicates a loss or a partialwin. At an end of a wagering session, the wager controller 176 transferscredits off of the one or more credit meters and out of the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system by communicating outgoingcredit data to the credit processing system.

FIG. 1D is a diagram of an interactive configuration of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention. An interactive configuration of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system is useful fordeployment over a wide area network such as an internet. An interactiveconfiguration of an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem 188 includes an interactive controller 189 operatively connectedby a network 190 to an application controller 191, and a wagercontroller 192. The application controller 191 is operatively connectedto a session/user management controller 193.

FIG. 1E is a diagram of a mobile configuration of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention. A mobile configuration of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system is useful for deployment overwireless communication network, such as a wireless local area network ora wireless telecommunications network. An interactive configuration ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system 194 includesan interactive controller 195 operatively connected by a wirelessnetwork 196 to an application controller 197, and a wager controller198. The application controller 197 is also operatively connected to asession/user management controller 199.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention. An interactive controller,such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, may be constructed fromor configured using one or more processing devices configured to performthe operations of the interactive controller. An interactive controllerin an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system may beconstructed from or configured using any processing device havingsufficient processing and communication capabilities that may beconfigured to perform the processes of an interactive controller inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention. In someembodiments, the construction or configuration of the interactivecontroller may be achieved through the use of an application controllayer, such as application control layer 131 of FIG. 1A, and/or throughthe use of an interactive application, such as interactive application143 of FIG. 1A.

In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed fromor configured using an electronic gaming machine 200 as shown in FIG.2A. The electronic gaming machine 200 may be physically located invarious types of gaming establishments.

In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed fromor configured using a portable device 202 as shown in FIG. 2B. Theportable device 202 is a device that may wirelessly connect to anetwork. Examples of portable devices include, but are not limited to, atablet computer, a personal digital assistant, and a smartphone.

In some embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructed fromor configured using a gaming console 204 as shown in FIG. 2C.

In various embodiments, an interactive controller may be constructedfrom or configured using a personal computer 206 as shown in FIG. 2D.

In some embodiments, a device, such as the devices of FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C,and 2D, may be used to construct a complete interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system and may be operatively connected using acommunication link to a session and/or user management controller, suchas session and/or user management controller 150 of FIG. 1A.

Some interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systems inaccordance with many embodiments of the invention can be distributedacross a plurality of devices in various configurations. FIGS. 3A, 3Band 3C are diagrams of distributed interleaved wagering system withreconciliation systems in accordance with various embodiments of theinvention. Turning now to FIG. 3A, one or more interactive controllersof a distributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system,such as but not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 300, a gamingconsole 302, a personal computer 304, and an electronic gaming machine305, are operatively connected with a wager controller 306 of adistributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system usinga communication link 308. Communication link 308 is a communicationslink that allows processing systems to communicate with each other andto share data. Examples of the communication link 308 can include, butare not limited to: a wired or wireless interdevice communication link,a serial or parallel interdevice communication bus; a wired or wirelessnetwork such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN),or the link; or a wired or wireless communication network such as awireless telecommunications network or plain old telephone system(POTS). In some embodiments, one or more processes of an interactivecontroller and an application controller as described herein areexecuted on the individual interactive controllers 300, 302, 304 and 305while one or more processes of a wager controller as described hereincan be executed by the wager controller 306.

In many embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system and may be operatively connected using acommunication link to a session and/or user management controller 307,that performs the processes of a session and/or user managementcontroller as described herein.

A distributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system inaccordance with another embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFIG. 3B. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of adistributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system, suchas but not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 310, a gaming console312, a personal computer 314, and an electronic gaming machine 315, areoperatively connected with a wager controller server 316 and anapplication controller 318 over a communication link 320. Communicationlink 320 is a communication link that allows processing systems tocommunicate and share data. Examples of the communication link 320 caninclude, but are not limited to: a wired or wireless interdevicecommunication link, a serial or parallel interdevice communication bus;a wired or wireless network such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a WideArea Network (WAN), or the link; or a wired or wireless communicationnetwork such as a wireless telecommunications network or plain oldtelephone system (POTS). In some embodiments, the processes of aninteractive controller as described herein are executed on theindividual interactive controllers 310, 312, 314 and 315. One or moreprocesses of a wager controller as described herein are executed by thewager controller 316, and one or more processes of an applicationcontroller as described herein are executed by the applicationcontroller 318.

In many embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system and may be operatively connected using acommunication link to a session and/or user management controller 319,that performs the processes of a session and/or user managementcontroller as described herein.

A distributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systems inaccordance with still another embodiment of the invention is illustratedin FIG. 3C. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of adistributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system, suchas but not limited to, a mobile device 342, a gaming console 344, apersonal computer 346, and an electronic gaming machine 340 areoperatively connected with a wager controller 348 and an applicationcontroller 350, and an interactive application server 352 using acommunication link 354. Communication link 354 is a communications linkthat allows processing systems to communicate and to share data.Examples of the communication link 354 can include, but are not limitedto: a wired or wireless interdevice communication link, a serial orparallel interdevice communication bus; a wired or wireless network suchas a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the link;or a wired or wireless communication network such as a wirelesstelecommunications network or plain old telephone system (POTS). In someembodiments, one or more processes of a display and user interface of aninteractive controller as described herein are executed on theindividual interactive controllers 340, 342, 344 and 346. One or moreprocesses of a wager controller as described herein can be executed bythe wager controller server 348. One or more processes of an applicationcontroller as described herein can be executed by the applicationcontroller server 350 and one or more processes of an interactivecontroller excluding the display and user interfaces can be executed bythe interactive application server 352.

In many embodiments, a distributed interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system and may be operatively connected using acommunication link to a session and/or user management controller 353,that performs the processes of a session and/or user managementcontroller as described herein.

In various embodiments, a user management and session controller may beoperatively connected to components of an interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system using a communication link. In otherembodiments, a number of other peripheral systems, such as a usermanagement system, a gaming establishment management system, aregulatory system, and/or hosting servers are also operatively connectedwith the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systems using acommunication link. Also, other servers can reside outside the bounds ofa network within a firewall of the operator to provide additionalservices for network connected interleaved wagering system withreconciliation systems.

Although various distributed interleaved wagering system withreconciliation systems are described herein, interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation systems can be distributed in any configuration asappropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordancewith embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, components of adistributed interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system, suchas an application controller, wager controller, interactive controller,or other servers that perform services for an application controller,wager controller and/or interactive controller, can be distributed indifferent configurations for a specific distributed interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system application.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controllerof an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactivecontroller may be constructed from or configured using one or moreprocessing devices configured to perform the operations of theinteractive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive controllercan be constructed from or configured using various types of processingdevices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as asmartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless devicesuch as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, apersonal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device,a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 4A, an interactive controller 400, suitable foruse as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1A, provides an executionenvironment for an interactive application 402 of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system. In several embodiments, aninteractive controller 400 of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system provides an interactive application 402 thatgenerates an application user interface 404 for interaction with by auser. The interactive application 402 generates a user presentation 406that is presented to the user through the application user interface404. The user presentation 406 may include audio features, visualfeatures or tactile features, or any combination of these features. Theapplication user interface 404 further includes one or more human inputdevices (HIDs) interfaces that communicate with one or more HIDs (e.g.,the input devices 514 of FIG. 4b ) that the user can use to interactwith the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system. Theuser's interactions 408 are included by the interactive application 402in application telemetry data 410 that is communicated by interactivecontroller 400 to various other components of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system as described herein. The interactiveapplication 402 receives application instructions and resources 412communicated from various other components of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system as described herein.

In some embodiments, various components of the interactive application402 can read data from an application state 414 in order to provide oneor more features of the interactive application. In various embodiments,components of the interactive application 402 can include, but are notlimited to, a physics engine, a rules engine, and/or a graphics engine.The physics engine is used to simulate physical interactions betweenvirtual objects in the interactive application 402. The rules engineimplements the rules of the interactive application and a P/RNG that maybe used for influencing or determining certain variables and/or outcomesto provide a randomizing influence on the operations of the interactiveapplication. The graphics engine is used to generate a visualrepresentation of the interactive application state to the user.Furthermore, the components may also include an audio engine to generateaudio outputs for the user interface.

During operation, the interactive application reads and writesapplication resources 416 stored on a data store of the interactivecontroller host. The application resources 416 may include objectshaving graphics and/or control logic used to provide applicationenvironment objects of the interactive application. In variousembodiments, the resources may also include, but are not limited to,video files that are used to generate a portion of the user presentation406; audio files used to generate music, sound effects, etc. within theinteractive application; configuration files used to configure thefeatures of the interactive application; scripts or other types ofcontrol code used to provide various features of the interactiveapplication; and graphics resources such as textures, objects, etc. thatare used by a graphics engine to render objects displayed in aninteractive application.

In operation, components of the interactive application 402 readportions of the application state 414 and generate the user presentation406 for the user that is presented to the user using the user interface404. The user perceives the user presentation and provides userinteractions 408 using the HIDs. The corresponding user interactions arereceived as user actions or inputs by various components of theinteractive application 402. The interactive application 402 translatesthe user actions into interactions with the virtual objects of theapplication environment stored in the application state 414. Componentsof the interactive application use the user interactions with thevirtual objects of the interactive application and the interactiveapplication state 414 to update the application state 414 and update theuser presentation 406 presented to the user. The process loopscontinuously while the user interacts with the interactive applicationof the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.

The interactive controller 400 provides one or more interfaces 418between the interactive controller 400 and other components of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system, such as, but notlimited to, an application controller. The interactive controller 400and the other interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systemcomponents communicate with each other using the interfaces. Theinterface may be used to pass various types of data, and to communicateand receive messages, status data, commands and the like. In certainembodiments, the interactive controller 400 and an applicationcontroller communicate application instructions and environmentresources 412 and application telemetry data 410. In some embodiments,the communications include requests by the application controller thatthe interactive controller 400 update the application state 414 usingdata provided by the application controller.

In many embodiments, a communication by an application controllerincludes a request that the interactive controller 400 update one ormore resources 416 using data provided by the application controller. Ina number of embodiments, the interactive controller 400 provides all ora portion of the application state to the application controller. Insome embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may also provide dataabout one or more of the application resources 416 to the applicationcontroller. In some embodiments, the communication includes userinteractions that the interactive controller 400 communicates to theapplication controller. The user interactions may be low level userinteractions with the user interface 404, such as manipulation of a HID,or may be high level interactions with game objects as determined by theinteractive application. The user interactions may also includeresultant actions such as modifications to the application state 414 orgame resources 416 resulting from the user's interactions taken in theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system interactiveapplication. In some embodiments, user interactions include, but are notlimited to, actions taken by entities such as non-player characters(NPC) of the interactive application that act on behalf of or under thecontrol of the user.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 includes a wageringuser interface 420 used to communicate interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system telemetry data 422 to and from the user. Theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system telemetry data422 from the interleaved wagering system with reconciliation systeminclude, but are not limited to, data used by the user to configure Cr,AC and element wagers, and data about the gambling game Cr, AC andelement wagers such as, but not limited to, Cr, AC and element balancesand Cr, AC and element amounts wagered.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller includes one or moresensors 424. Such sensors may include, but are not limited to,physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user,environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of theinteractive controller, accelerometers that monitor changes in motion ofthe interactive controller, and location sensors that monitor thelocation of the interactive controller such as global positioningsensors (GPSs). The interactive controller 400 communicates sensortelemetry data 426 to one or more components of the interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system.

Referring now to FIG. 4B, interactive controller 400 includes a bus 502that provides an interface for one or more processors 504, random accessmemory (RAM) 506, read only memory (ROM) 508, machine-readable storagemedium 510, one or more user output devices 512, one or more user inputdevices 514, and one or more communication interface devices 516.

The one or more processors 504 may take many forms, such as, but notlimited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a multi-processor unit(MPU); an ARM processor; a controller; a programmable logic device; orthe like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 504 and the randomaccess memory (RAM) 506 form an interactive controller processing unit599. In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unitincludes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more ofa RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or moreprocessors of the interactive controller processing unit receiveinstructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, andmachine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or moreprocessors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, theinteractive controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the interactive controllerprocessing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 512 include, but are not limited to, displayscreens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance withparticular embodiments, the one or more processors 504 are operativelyconnected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to: speakers;and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments,the one or more processors 504 are operatively connected to tactileoutput devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 514 include, but are not limited to:tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, footpads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such asaudio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that theinteractive controller can use to receive inputs from a user when theuser interacts with the interactive controller; physiological sensorsthat monitor the physiology of the user; environmental sensors thatmonitor the physical environment of the interactive controller;accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the interactivecontroller; and location sensors that monitor the location of theinteractive controller such as global positioning sensors.

The one or more communication interface devices 516 provide one or morewired or wireless interfaces for communicating data and commands betweenthe interactive controller 400 and other devices that may be included inan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system. Such wiredand wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a UniversalSerial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; anEthernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plainold telephone system (POTS) interface, a cellular or satellite telephonenetwork interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 510 stores machine-executableinstructions for various components of the interactive controller, suchas but not limited to: an operating system 518; one or more devicedrivers 522; one or more application programs 520 including but notlimited to an interactive application; and interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system interactive controller instructions and data524 for use by the one or more processors 504 to provide the features ofan interactive controller as described herein. In some embodiments, themachine-executable instructions further include application controllayer/application control interface instructions and data 526 for use bythe one or more processors 504 to provide the features of an applicationcontrol layer/application control interface as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 510 is oneof a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, aDVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, andthe like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory506 from the machine-readable storage medium 510, the ROM 508 or anyother storage location. The respective machine-executable instructionsare accessed by the one or more processors 504 via the bus 502, and thenexecuted by the one or more processors 504. Data used by the one or moreprocessors 504 are also stored in memory 506, and the one or moreprocessors 504 access such data during execution of themachine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executableinstructions causes the one or more processors 504 to control theinteractive controller 400 to provide the features of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system interactive controller asdescribed herein

Although the interactive controller is described herein as beingconstructed from or configured using one or more processors andinstructions stored and executed by hardware components, the interactivecontroller can be constructed from or configured using only hardwarecomponents in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, althoughthe storage medium 510 is described as being operatively connected tothe one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art ofinteractive controllers will understand that the storage medium caninclude removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memorydevice, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. Insome embodiments, the storage medium 510 can be accessed by the one ormore processors 504 through one of the communication interface devices516 or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user inputdevices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the oneor more processors 504 via one of the communication interface devices516 or using a communication link.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 can be distributedacross a plurality of different devices. In many such embodiments, aninteractive controller of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system includes an interactive application serveroperatively connected to an interactive client using a communicationlink. The interactive application server and interactive applicationclient cooperate to provide the features of an interactive controller asdescribed herein.

In various embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may be used toconstruct other components of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and anapplication controller of a wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system may be constructed from or configured using asingle device using processes that communicate using an interprocesscommunication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of aninteractive controller and an application controller of a wageringinterleaved system with reconciliation system may communicate by passingmessages, parameters or the like.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention. A wager controller may beconstructed from or configured using one or more processing devicesconfigured to perform the operations of the wager controller. In manyembodiments, a wager controller can be constructed from or configuredusing various types of processing devices including, but not limited to,a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digitalassistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, anelectronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, aset-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 5A, in various embodiments, a wager controller604, suitable for use as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, includes apseudorandom or random number generator (P/RNG) 620 to produce randomresults or pseudo random results; one or more paytables 623 whichincludes a plurality of factors indexed by the random result to bemultiplied with an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects committed in awager; and a wagering control module 622 whose processes may include,but are not limited to, generating random results, looking up factors inthe paytables, multiplying the factors by an amount of Cr, AC, elements,or objects wagered, and administering one or more Cr, AC, element, orobject meters 626. The various wager controller components can interfacewith each other via an internal bus 625 and/or other appropriatecommunication mechanism.

An interface 628 allows the wager controller 604 to operatively connectto an external device, such as one or more application controllers asdescribed herein. The interface 628 provides for receiving of wagerexecution instructions 629 from the external device that is used tospecify wager parameters and/or trigger execution of a wager by thewager controller 604. The interface 628 may also provide forcommunicating wager outcome data 631 to an external device. In numerousembodiments, the interface between the wager controller 604 and othersystems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet.However, other methods of communication may be used including, but notlimited to, a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB)interface, and/or some other method by which two electronic devicescould communicate with each other.

In various embodiments, a wager controller 604 may use a P/RNG providedby an external system. The external system may be connected to the wagercontroller 604 by a suitable communication network such as a local areanetwork (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In some embodiments, theexternal P/RNG is a central deterministic system that provides random orpseudo random results to one or more connected wager controllers.

During operation of the wager controller, the external systemcommunicates wager execution instructions 629 to the wager controller604. The wager controller 604 receives the wager execution instructionsand uses the wager execution instructions to trigger execution of awager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller604 executes the wager and determines a wager outcome for the wager. Thewager controller communicates wager outcome data 631 of the wageroutcome to the external system.

In some embodiments, the wager controller uses the wager executioninstructions to select a paytable 628 to use and/or an amount of Cr, AC,elements, or objects to wager.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data may include, but is notlimited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects won in the wager.

In various embodiments, the wager outcome data may include, but is notlimited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in the one or moremeters 626.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data includes state data for thewagering proposition of the executed wager. The state data maycorrespond to one or more game states of a gambling game that isassociated with the wagering proposition. Examples of state datainclude, but are not limited to, reel strips in an operation state or afinal state for a reel-based gambling game, one or more dice positionsfor a dice-based gambling game, positions of a roulette wheel androulette ball, position of a wheel of fortune, or the like.

In various embodiments, the wagering control module 622 determines anamount of a wager and a paytable to use from the one or more paytables623. In such embodiments, in response to the wager executioninstructions triggering execution of the wager, the wager control module622 executes the wager by requesting a P/RNG result from the P/RNG 620;retrieving a paytable from the one or more paytables 623; adjusting theone or more credit meters 626 for an amount of the wager; applying theP/RNG result to the retrieved paytable; multiplying the resultant factorfrom the paytable by an amount wagered to determine a wager outcome;updating the one or more meters 626 based on the wager outcome; andcommunicating the wager outcome to the external device.

In various embodiments, an external system communicates a request for aP/RNG result from the wager controller 604. In response, the wagercontroller 604 returns a P/RNG result as a function of an internal P/RNGor a P/RNG external to the external system to which the wager controller604 is operatively connected.

In some embodiments, a communication exchange between the wagercontroller 604 and an external system relate to the external systemsupport for coupling a P/RNG result to a particular paytable containedin the wager controller 604. In such an exchange, the external systemcommunicates to the wager controller 604 as to which of the one or morepaytables 623 to use, and requests a result whereby the P/RNG resultwould be associated with the requested paytable 623. The result of thecoupling is returned to the external system. In such an exchange, noactual Cr, AC, element, or object wager is conducted, but might beuseful in coupling certain non-value wagering interactive applicationbehaviors and propositions to the same final resultant wagering returnwhich is understood for the interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system to conduct wagering.

In some embodiments, the wager controller 604 may also include storagefor statuses, wagers, wager outcomes, meters and other historical eventsin a storage device 616.

In some embodiments, an authorization access module provides a processto permit access and command exchange with the wager controller 604 andaccess to the one or more credit meters 626 for the amount of Cr, AC,elements, or objects being wagered by the user in the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system.

In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various types of awager controller and an external system 630, such as applicationcontroller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of the wagercontroller is to allocate wagers to pools, detect occurrences of one ormore events upon which the wagers were made, and determine the wageroutcomes for each individual wager based on the number of winning wagersand the amount paid into the pool.

In some embodiments, the wager controller manages accounts forindividual users wherein the users make deposits into the accounts,amounts are deducted from the accounts, and amounts are credited to theusers' accounts based on the wager outcomes.

In some embodiments a wager controller is a pari-mutuel wagering systemsuch as used for wagering on an events such as horse races, greyhoundraces, sporting events and the like. In a pari-mutuel wagering system,user's wagers on the outcome of an event are allocated to a pool. Whenthe event occurs, wager outcomes are calculated by sharing the poolamong all winning wagers.

In various embodiments, a wager controller is a central determinationsystem, such as but not limited to a central determination system for aClass II wagering system or a wagering system in support of a “scratchoff” style lottery. In such a wagering system, a player plays againstother players and competes for a common prize. In a given set of wageroutcomes, there are a certain number of wins and losses. Once a certainwager outcome has been determined, the same wager outcome cannot occuragain until a new set of wager outcomes is generated.

In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various componentsof a wager controller 604 and an external system, such as an applicationcontroller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of the wagercontroller 604 is to manage wagering on wagering events and to providerandom (or pseudo random) results from a P/RNG.

Referring now to FIG. 5B, wager controller 604 includes a bus 732 thatprovides an interface for one or more processors 734, random accessmemory (RAM) 736, read only memory (ROM) 738, machine-readable storagemedium 740, one or more user output devices 742, one or more user inputdevices 744, and one or more communication interface and/or networkinterface devices 746.

The one or more processors 734 may take many forms, such as, but notlimited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a multi-processor unit(MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a programmable logic device, orthe like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 734 and the randomaccess memory (RAM) 736 form a wager controller processing unit 799. Insome embodiments, the wager controller processing unit includes one ormore processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, andmachine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the wagercontroller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one ormore of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; andthe one or more processors execute the received instructions. In someembodiments, the wager controller processing unit is an ASIC(Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, thewager controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 742 include, but are not limited to, displayscreens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance withparticular embodiments, the one or more processors 734 are operativelyconnected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to speakers,and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments,the one or more processors 734 are operatively connected to tactileoutput devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 734 include, but are not limited to,tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, touchscreens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio inputdevices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the wagercontroller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interactswith the wager controller 604.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices746 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging dataand commands between the wager controller 604 and other devices that maybe included in an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limitedto: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; aWi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC)interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a cellular orsatellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 740 stores machine-executableinstructions for various components of a wager controller, such as butnot limited to: an operating system 748; one or more applicationprograms 750; one or more device drivers 752; and interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system wager controller instructions and data754 for use by the one or more processors 734 to provide the features ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system wagercontroller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 740 is oneof a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, aDVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, andthe like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory736 from the machine-readable storage medium 740, the ROM 738 or anyother storage location. The respective machine-executable instructionsare accessed by the one or more processors 734 via the bus 732, and thenexecuted by the one or more processors 734. Data used by the one or moreprocessors 734 are also stored in memory 736, and the one or moreprocessors 734 access such data during execution of themachine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executableinstructions causes the one or more processors 734 to control the wagercontroller 604 to provide the features of an interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system wager controller as described herein

Although the wager controller 604 is described herein as beingconstructed from or configured using one or more processors andmachine-executable instructions stored and executed by hardwarecomponents, the wager controller can be composed of only hardwarecomponents in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, althoughthe storage medium 740 is described as being operatively connected tothe one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art ofprocessing devices will understand that the storage medium can includeremovable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, anoptical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In someembodiments, the storage medium 740 can be accessed by the one or moreprocessors 734 through one of the interfaces or using a communicationlink. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devicescan be operatively connected to the one or more processors 734 via oneof the interfaces or using a communication link.

In various embodiments, the wager controller 604 may be used toconstruct other components of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a wager controller and an applicationcontroller of a wagering interleaved system with reconciliation systemmay be constructed from or configured using a single device usingprocesses that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol.In other such embodiments, the components of a wager controller and anapplication controller of a wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system may communicate by passing messages, parameters orthe like.

It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a wagercontroller 604 which could be possible, including forms where manymodules and components of the wager controller are located in variousservers and locations, so the foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive orall inclusive, but rather provide data on various embodiments of a wagercontroller 604.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controllerof an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system inaccordance with various embodiments of the invention. An applicationcontroller may be constructed from or configured using one or moreprocessing devices configured to perform the operations of theapplication controller. In many embodiments, an application controllercan be constructed from or configured using various types of processingdevices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as asmartphone, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as atablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personalcomputer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, acontroller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 6A, in many embodiments, an application controller860, suitable for use as application controller 112 of FIG. 1A, managesoperation of an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system,with a wager controller and an interactive controller being supportunits to the application controller 860. The application controller 860provides an interface between the interactive application, provided byan interactive controller, and a wagering proposition, provided by awager controller.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes aninteractive controller interface 800 to an interactive controller. Theinteractive controller interface 800 provides for communication of databetween an interactive controller and the application controller 860,including but not limited to wager telemetry data 802, applicationinstructions and resources 804, application telemetry data 806, andsensor telemetry data 810.

In various embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a wagercontroller interface 812 to a wager controller. The wager controllerinterface 812 provides for communication of data between the applicationcontroller 860 and a wager controller, including but not limited towager outcomes 814 and wager execution instructions 816.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a usermanagement and session controller interface 818 to a user management andsession controller. The user management and session controller interface818 provides for communication of data between the applicationcontroller 860 and a user management and session controller, includingbut not limited to user session control data 820 and user sessiontelemetry data 822.

The application controller 860 includes a rule-based decision engine 824that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry data andsensor telemetry data, from an interactive controller. The rule-baseddecision engine 824 uses the telemetry data, along with trigger logic826 to generate wager execution instructions used to trigger a wager ina wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry data includes, but is notlimited to, application environment variables that indicate the state ofan interactive application being used by a user, interactive controllerdata indicating a state of an interactive controller, and user actionsand interactions between a user and an interactive application providedby an interactive controller. The wagering and/or wager executioninstructions may include, but is not limited to, an amount and type ofthe wager, a trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable to beused when executing the wager.

In some embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 824 also receiveswager outcome data from a wager controller. The decision engine 824 usesthe wager outcome data, in conjunction with telemetry data andapplication logic 828 to generate application decisions 830 communicatedto an application resource generator 832. The application resourcegenerator 832 receives the application decisions and uses theapplication decisions to generate application instructions andapplication resources to be communicated to an interactive application.

In many embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a pseudorandom or random result generator used to generate random results thatare communicated to the application resource generator 832. Theapplication resource generator uses the random results to generateapplication instructions and application resources to be communicated toan interactive controller for use by an interactive application.

In various embodiments, the rule-based decision engine 824 alsodetermines an amount of AC to award to a user based at least in part onthe user's use of an interactive application of the interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system as determined from applicationtelemetry data. In some embodiments, wager outcome data may also be usedto determine the amount of AC that should be awarded to the user.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application is a skill-basedinteractive game and the AC is awarded to the user for the user'sskillful play of the skill-based interactive game.

In some embodiments, the application decisions and wager outcome dataare communicated to a wagering user interface generator 834. Thewagering user interface generator 834 receives the application decisionsand wager outcome data and generates wager telemetry data describing thestate of wagering and credit accumulation and loss for the interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system. In some embodiments, thewager telemetry data 146 may include, but is not limited to, amounts ofAC and elements earned, lost or accumulated by the user through use ofthe interactive application as determined from the applicationdecisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated as determined fromthe wager outcome data and the one or more credit meters.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 814 also includes data aboutone or more game states of a gambling game executed in accordance with awagering proposition by a wager controller. In various such embodiments,the wagering user interface generator 834 generates a gambling gameprocess display and/or gambling game state display using the one or moregame states of the gambling game. The gambling game process displayand/or gambling game state display is included in wager telemetry datathat is communicated to an interactive controller. The gambling gameprocess display and/or a gambling game state display is displayed by awagering user interface of the interactive controller to a user. Inother such embodiments, the one or more game states of the gambling gameare communicated to an interactive controller and a wagering userinterface of the interactive controller generates a gambling gameprocess display and/or gambling game state display using the one or moregame states of the gambling game for display to a user.

The application controller 860 can further operatively connect to awager controller to determine an amount of credit or elements availableand other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus, theapplication controller 860 may potentially affect an amount of Cr inplay for participation in the wagering events of a gambling gameprovided by the wager controller. The application controller 860 mayadditionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In someembodiments, the application controller 860 can also couple to acentralized server for exchanging various data related to the user andthe activities of the user during game play of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system.

In some embodiments, the operation of the application controller 860does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by a wagercontroller except for user choice parameters that are allowable inaccordance with the wagering proposition. Examples of user choiceparameters include, but are not limited to: wager terms such as but notlimited to a wager amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressinga button or pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement towager into a bonus round.

In a number of embodiments, communication of wager executioninstructions between a wager controller and the application controller860 can further be used to communicate various wagering control factorsthat the wager controller uses as input. Examples of wagering controlfactors include, but are not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements,or objects consumed per wagering event, and/or the user's election toenter a jackpot round.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes a wageringuser interface to communicate certain interactive application data tothe user, including but not limited to, club points, user status,control of the selection of user choices, and messages which a user canfind useful in order to adjust the interactive application experience orunderstand the wagering status of the user in accordance with thewagering proposition in the wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes a wageringuser interface to communicate aspects of a wagering proposition to theuser including, but not limited to, odds of certain wager outcomes,amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC,elements, or objects available.

In a number of embodiments, a wager controller can accept wagerproposition factors including, but not limited to, modifications in theamount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered on each individualwagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wagercontroller can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and other factors.In several embodiments, the application controller 860 can communicate anumber of factors back and forth to the wager controller, such that anincrease/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the change inuser profile of the user in the interactive application. In this manner,a user can control a wager amount per wagering event in accordance withthe wagering proposition with the change mapping to a parameter orcomponent that is applicable to the interactive application experience.

Referring now to FIG. 6B, application controller 860 includes a bus 861providing an interface for one or more processors 863, random accessmemory (RAM) 864, read only memory (ROM) 865, machine-readable storagemedium 866, one or more user output devices 867, one or more user inputdevices 868, and one or more communication interface and/or networkinterface devices 869.

The one or more processors 863 may take many forms, such as, but notlimited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a multi-processor unit(MPU); an ARM processor; a programmable logic device; or the like.

Examples of output devices 867 include, include, but are not limited to:display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordancewith particular embodiments, the one or more processors 863 areoperatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limitedto: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of theseembodiments, the one or more processors 863 are operatively connected totactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 863 and the randomaccess memory (RAM) 864 form an application controller processing unit870. In some embodiments, the application controller processing unitincludes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more ofa RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or moreprocessors of the application controller processing unit receiveinstructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, andmachine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or moreprocessors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, theapplication controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the application controllerprocessing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of user input devices 868 include, but are not limited to:tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, footpads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such asaudio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that theapplication controller can use to receive inputs from a user when theuser interacts with the application controller 860.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices869 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging dataand commands between the application controller 860 and other devicesthat may be included in an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, butare not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetoothinterface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near FieldCommunication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS),cellular, or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 866 stores machine-executableinstructions for various components of the application controller 860such as, but not limited to: an operating system 871; one or moreapplications 872; one or more device drivers 873; and interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system application controllerinstructions and data 874 for use by the one or more processors 863 toprovide the features of an application controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 870 is oneof a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, aDVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, andthe like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory864 from the machine-readable storage medium 866, the ROM 865 or anyother storage location. The respective machine-executable instructionsare accessed by the one or more processors 863 via the bus 861, and thenexecuted by the one or more processors 863. Data used by the one or moreprocessors 863 are also stored in memory 864, and the one or moreprocessors 863 access such data during execution of themachine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executableinstructions causes the one or more processors 863 to control theapplication controller 860 to provide the features of an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system application controller asdescribed herein.

Although the application controller 860 is described herein as beingconstructed from or configured using one or more processors andinstructions stored and executed by hardware components, the applicationcontroller can be composed of only hardware components in accordancewith other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 866 isdescribed as being operatively connected to the one or more processorsthrough a bus, those skilled in the art of application controllers willunderstand that the storage medium can include removable media such as,but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magneticmedia such as tape and disks. Also, in some embodiments, the storagemedium 866 may be accessed by processor 863 through one of theinterfaces or using a communication link. Furthermore, any of the userinput devices or user output devices may be operatively connected to theone or more processors 863 via one of the interfaces or using acommunication link.

In various embodiments, the application controller 860 may be used toconstruct other components of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and anapplication controller of a wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system may be constructed from or configured using asingle device using processes that communicate using an interprocesscommunication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of aninteractive controller and an application controller of a wageringinterleaved system with reconciliation system may communicate by passingmessages, parameters or the like.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a user management andsession controller of an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A usermanagement and session controller may be constructed from or configuredusing one or more processing devices configured to perform theoperations of the user management and session controller. In manyembodiments, a wager user session can be constructed from or configuredusing various types of processing devices including, but not limited to,a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digitalassistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, anelectronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, aset-top box, a computing device, a controller, a server, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 7A, in various embodiments, a user management andsession controller 1104, suitable for use as user management and sessioncontroller 150 of FIG. 1A, includes a user management and sessioncontrol module 1106 whose processes may include, but are not limited to,registering users of a wagering interleaved system with reconciliationsystem, validating users of a wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system using user registration data, managing varioustypes of user sessions for users of the wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system, and the like.

The user management and session controller 1104 may further include adatastore 1108 storing user data used to manage user registration andvalidation. The user management and session controller 1104 may furtherinclude a datastore 1110 storing user session data used to manage one ormore user sessions.

The various user management and session controller components caninterface with each other via an internal bus 1112 and/or otherappropriate communication mechanism.

An interface 1114 allows the user management and session controller 1104to operatively connect to one or more external devices, such as one ormore application controllers, wager controllers and/or interactivecontrollers as described herein. The interface provides for receivingsession telemetry data 1116 from the one more external devices. The usersession telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, amounts of ACearned by one or more users, requests for entering into a user sessionas described herein, and telemetry data regarding the progress of one ormore users during a user session. The interface 1114 may also providefor communicating secession control data 1118 used to manage a usersession.

In numerous embodiments, the interface between the user management andsession controller and other systems/devices may be a wide area network(WAN) such as the Internet. However, other methods of communication maybe used including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), auniversal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by whichtwo electronic devices could communicate with each other.

During operation of the user management and session controller, theexternal system communicates user session telemetry data to the usermanagement and session controller. The user management and sessioncontroller receives the user session telemetry data and uses the usersession telemetry data to generate user session control data asdescribed herein. The user management and session controllercommunicates the user session control data to the external system.

Referring now to FIG. 7B, user management and session controller 1104includes a bus 1132 that provides an interface for one or moreprocessors 1134, random access memory (RAM) 1136, read only memory (ROM)1138, machine-readable storage medium 1140, one or more user outputdevices 1142, one or more user input devices 1144, and one or morecommunication interface and/or network interface devices 1146.

The one or more processors 1134 may take many forms, such as, but notlimited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a multi-processor unit(MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a programmable logic device, orthe like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 1134 and therandom access memory (RAM) 1136 form a user management and sessioncontroller processing unit 1199. In some embodiments, the usermanagement and session controller processing unit includes one or moreprocessors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, andmachine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the usermanagement and session controller processing unit receive instructionsstored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storagemedium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the receivedinstructions. In some embodiments, the user management and sessioncontroller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific IntegratedCircuit). In some embodiments, the user management and sessioncontroller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 1142 include, but are not limited to, displayscreens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance withparticular embodiments, the one or more processors 1134 are operativelyconnected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to speakers,and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments,the one or more processors 1134 are operatively connected to tactileoutput devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 1144 include, but are not limited to,tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, touchscreens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio inputdevices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the usermanagement and session controller can use to receive inputs from a userwhen the user interacts with the user management and session controller1104.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices1146 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchangingdata and commands between the user management and session controller1104 and other devices that may be included in an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system. Such wired and wireless interfacesinclude, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface;a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a NearField Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS)interface; a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and thelike.

The machine-readable storage medium 1140 stores machine-executableinstructions for various components of a user management and sessioncontroller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 1148; one ormore application programs 1150; one or more device drivers 1152; andinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system user managementand session controller instructions and data 1154 for use by the one ormore processors 1134 to provide the features of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system user management and session controlleras described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 1140 is oneof a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, aDVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, andthe like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory736 from the machine-readable storage medium 1140, the ROM 1138 or anyother storage location. The respective machine-executable instructionsare accessed by the one or more processors 1134 via the bus 1132, andthen executed by the one or more processors 1134. Data used by the oneor more processors 1134 are also stored in memory 1136, and the one ormore processors 1134 access such data during execution of themachine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executableinstructions causes the one or more processors 1134 to control the usermanagement and session controller 1104 to provide the features of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system user managementand session controller as described herein

Although the user management and session controller 1104 is describedherein as being constructed from or configured using one or moreprocessors and machine-executable instructions stored and executed byhardware components, the user management and session controller can becomposed of only hardware components in accordance with otherembodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 1140 is describedas being operatively connected to the one or more processors through abus, those skilled in the art of processing devices will understand thatthe storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limitedto, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tapeand disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 1140 can be accessedby the one or more processors 1134 through one of the interfaces orusing a communication link. Furthermore, any of the user input devicesor user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or moreprocessors 1134 via one of the interfaces or using a communication link.

In various embodiments, the user management and session controller 1104may be used to construct other components of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and sessioncontroller and an application controller of a wagering interleavedsystem with reconciliation system may be constructed from or configuredusing a single device using processes that communicate using aninterprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, thecomponents of a user management and session controller and anapplication controller of a wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system may communicate by passing messages, parameters orthe like.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and sessioncontroller and a wager controller of a wagering interleaved system withreconciliation system may be constructed from or configured using asingle device using processes that communicate using an interprocesscommunication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of auser management and session controller and an application controller ofa wagering interleaved system with reconciliation system may communicateby passing messages, parameters or the like.

It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a usermanagement and session controller 1104 which could be possible,including forms where many modules and components of the user managementand session controller are located in various servers and locations, sothe foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive or all inclusive, but ratherprovide data on various embodiments of a user management and sessioncontroller 1104.

In numerous embodiments, any of a wager controller, an applicationcontroller, an interactive controller, or a user management and sessioncontroller as described herein can be constructed from or configuredusing multiple processing devices, whether dedicated, shared, ordistributed in any combination thereof, or can be constructed from orconfigured using a single processing device. In addition, while certainaspects and features of interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem processes described herein have been attributed to a wagercontroller, an application controller, an interactive controller, or auser management and session controller, these aspects and features canbe provided in a distributed form where any of the features or aspectscan be provided by any of a user management and session controller, awager controller, an application controller, and/or an interactivecontroller within an interleaved wagering system with reconciliationsystem without deviating from the spirit of the invention.

Although various components of interleaved wagering system withreconciliation systems are discussed herein, interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation systems can be configured with any component asappropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordancewith embodiments of the invention. In certain embodiments, components ofan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system, such as auser management and session controller, an application controller, awager controller, and/or an interactive controller, can be configured indifferent ways for a specific interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and sessioncontroller, an interactive controller, an application controller, and/ora wager controller of a wagering interleaved system with reconciliationsystem may be constructed from or configured using a single device usingprocesses that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol.In many embodiments, the components of a user management and sessioncontroller, an interactive controller, an application controller and awager controller of a wagering interleaved system with reconciliationsystem may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In addition, while certain aspects and features of interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system processes described herein have beenattributed to a user management and session controller, a wagercontroller, an application controller, or an interactive controller,these aspects and features can be provided in a distributed form whereany of the features or aspects can be provided by any of a usermanagement and session controller, a wager controller, an applicationcontroller, and/or an interactive controller within an interleavedwagering system with reconciliation system.

Operation of Wagering Interleaved System with Reconciliation Systems

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of aninterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system in accordancewith various embodiments of the invention. The components of theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system include a wagercontroller 902, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, an applicationcontroller 904, such as application controller 112 of FIG. 1A, and aninteractive controller 906, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG.1A. The process begins with the interactive controller 906 detecting auser performing a user interaction in a user interface of an interactiveapplication provided by the interactive controller 906. The interactivecontroller 906 communicates application telemetry data 908 to theapplication controller 904. The application telemetry data includes, butis not limited to, the user interaction detected by the interactivecontroller 906.

The application controller 904 receives the application telemetry data908. Upon determination by the application controller 904 that the userinteraction indicates a wagering event, the application controller 904generates wager execution instructions including a wager request 912that the application controller 904 uses to instruct the wagercontroller 902 to execute a wager. The request for a wager event mayinclude wager terms associated with a wagering proposition. Theapplication controller 904 communicates the wager execution instructionsto the wager controller 902.

The wager controller 902 receives the wager execution instructions 912and uses the wager execution instructions to execute (913) a wager inaccordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller 902communicates a wager outcome 914 of the executed wager to theapplication controller 904.

The application controller 904 receives the wager outcome and generates(915) interactive application instructions and resources 916 for theinteractive application. The application controller 904 uses theinteractive application instructions and resources 916 to instruct theinteractive controller. The application controller communicates theinteractive application instructions and resources 916 to theinteractive controller 906. The application controller also communicateswagering telemetry data 920 including the wager outcome to theinteractive controller 906.

The interactive controller 906 receives the interactive applicationinstructions and resources 916 and wagering telemetry data 918. Theinteractive controller 906 incorporates the received interactiveapplication resources and executes the received interactive applicationinstructions (918). The interactive controller updates (922) anapplication user interface of the interactive application provided bythe interactive controller using the interactive applicationinstructions and the resources, and updates (922) a wagering userinterface using the wagering telemetry data.

In several embodiments, a user can interact with an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system by using Cr for wagering in accordancewith a wagering proposition along with AC and elements in interactionswith an interactive application. Wagering can be executed by a wagercontroller while an interactive application can be executed by aninteractive controller and managed with an application controller.

FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram that illustrates how resources such asAC, Cr, elements, and objects are utilized in an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system in accordance with various embodimentsof the invention. The collaboration diagram 1000 illustrates that Cr1002, interactive application resources including elements and objects1004 and AC 1006 can be utilized by a user 1008 in interactions with awager controller 1010, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1A, anapplication controller 1012, such as wager controller 112 of FIG. 1, andan interactive controller 1014, such as interactive controller 120 ofFIG. 1A, of an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system.The contribution of elements and objects such as included in resources1004, can be linked to a user's access to credits, such as Cr 1002and/or AC 1006. Electronic receipt of these credits can come via a smartcard, voucher or other portable media, or as received using acommunication link from a server. In some embodiments, these credits canbe drawn on demand from a user profile located in a database locally onan interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system or in a remoteserver.

A user's actions and/or decisions can affect an interactive applicationof interactive controller 1014 that consume and/or accumulate AC 1004and/or resources 1004 in an interactive application executed by aninteractive controller 1014, a wager controller 101 and an applicationcontroller 1012. The application controller 1012 can monitor theactivities taking place within an interactive application executed by aninteractive controller 1014 for wagering event occurrences. Theapplication controller 1012 can also communicate the wagering eventoccurrences to the wager controller 1010 that triggers a wager of Cr1002 in accordance with a wagering proposition executed by the wagercontroller 1010.

In several embodiments, the user commences interaction with theinterleaved wagering system with reconciliation system by contributingcredit to an interleaved wagering system with reconciliation system suchas, but not limited to, Cr 1002 that may be credit in a real currency ormay be credit in a virtual currency that is not fungible with a realcurrency, AC 1006 that may be application environment credits, andspecified types of interactive application elements and/or objects 1004.One or more of these contributions may be provided directly as currencyand/or transferred in electronically. Electronic transfer may come via asmart card, voucher or other portable media, or as transferred in usinga communication link from a user data server or interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system user management and sessioncontroller. In many embodiments, contributions may be drawn on demandfrom user accounts located in servers residing on the network or in thecloud on a real time basis as the credits, elements and/or object arecommitted or consumed by the interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system. Generally, Cr is utilized and accounted for bythe wager controller 1010; and the resources 1004 and AC 1006 areutilized and accounted for by the application controller 1012 and/or theinteractive controller 1014.

The user interacts (a) with an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller 1014 with the interaction representing an actionby the user within the context of the interactive application. Theinteractive controller 1014 receives the user interaction andcommunicates (b) the interaction to the application controller 1012. Theapplication controller 1012 receives the interaction and determines fromthe interaction whether or not a wager should be triggered. If a wagershould be triggered, the application controller 1012 instructs (c) thewager controller 1010 to execute a wager in accordance with a wageringproposition associated with the interaction and thereby triggers awager. The wager controller receives the wager execution instructionsand executes the wager in accordance with the wagering proposition, andconsumes (d) an appropriate amount of Cr 1002 for the wager. The wagercontroller 1010 adjusts (e) the Cr 1002 based upon a wager outcome ofthe wager and communicates (f) the wager outcome to the applicationcontroller 1012 as to the outcome of the wager triggered by theapplication controller 1012. The application controller 1012 receivesthe wager outcome. The application controller determines what resources1004 should be provided to the interactive controller, generates theresources 1004 and application instructions and instructs (g) theinteractive controller 1014 using the resources 1004 and applicationinstructions. The interactive controller receives the resources 1004 andapplication instructions from the application controller 1012 andintegrates them into the execution of the interactive applicationprovided by the interactive controller 1014.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 communicates (h)data about the wager outcome to the interactive controller. Theinteractive controller receives the wager outcome and displays the wageroutcome to the user 1008.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines whatresources and instructions to provide to the interactive controller 1014for use by the interactive application provided by the interactivecontroller 1014 partially on the basis of the wager outcome. In somesuch embodiments, resources are provided in a case that the wager was awinning wager for the user. In other such embodiments, fewer or noresources are provided in a case of a losing wager.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines whatresources to provide based on internal logic of the applicationcontroller 1012. In some such embodiments, the application controller1012 employs a random result generator, such as a P/RNG, to generate arandom result and the random result is used to determine what resourcesare provided to the interactive controller 1014.

In several embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines anincrement or a decrement of an amount of AC 1006 using the interactionsreceived from the interactive controller. The increment or decrementedamount is communicated (i) to the interactive controller for display tothe user.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 executes a wager ofCr as a virtual currency, AC, elements or objects. In some suchembodiments, the application controller 1012 employs a random resultgenerator, such as a P/RNG, to generate a random result and the randomresult is used to determine a wager outcome in Cr as a virtual currency,AC, elements or objects.

The following is description of an embodiment of the describedcollaboration where an interactive application provided by aninteractive controller of an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system is a first person shooter game. The process beginsby a user selecting a machine gun to use in the game and then fires aburst of bullets at an opponent. The interactive controller cancommunicate to the application controller of the user's choice ofweapon, that a burst of bullets was fired, and/or the outcome of theburst. The application controller communicates to the wager controllerthat 3 credits (Cr) are to be wagered on the outcome of a wagering eventto match the three bullets consumed. The wager controller then performsthe wagering event and determines the result of the wager and maydetermine the winnings from a paytable. The wager controller consumes 3credits of Cr for the wager and executes the specified wager. By way ofexample, the wager controller may determine that the user hit a jackpotof 6 credits and returns the 6 credits to the Cr and communicates to theapplication controller that 3 net credits were won by the user.

The application controller communicates to the interactive controller toadd 3 bullets to an ammunition clip. The interactive controller adds 3bullets back to the ammo clip. The ammunition may be added by directlyadding the ammunition to the clip or by allowing the user to find extraammunition during use. The application controller logs the new userscore (AC) in the game (as a function of the successful hit on theopponent) based on the interactive controller communication, and adds 2extra points to the user score since a jackpot has been won. Theapplication controller then adds 10 points to the user score (AC) giventhe success of the hit which in this example is worth 8 points, plus the2 extra point. Note that this example is only intended to provide anillustration of how credits flow in an interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system, but is not intended to be exhaustive and onlylists only one of numerous possibilities of how an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system may be configured to manage itsfundamental credits.

In many embodiments, user management and session controller 1020, suchas user account controller 150 of FIG. 1A, of an interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system is used to store AC for use of theuser. In such an embodiment, AC is generated by the applicationcontroller based on the user's use of the interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system and an amount of the AC is communicated tothe user management and session controller 1020. The user management andsession controller stores the amount of AC between user sessions. Insome embodiments, the user management and session controllercommunicates an amount of AC to the application controller at the startof a user session for use by the user during a user session.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a process of an interleaved wagering systemwith reconciliation system in accordance with various embodiments of theinvention. The interleaved wagering system includes an interactivecontroller, an application controller, and a wager controller, asdescribed herein. The interactive controller may provide an interactiveapplication. In some embodiments, the interactive application is aninteractive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is askill-based interactive game.

In many embodiments, the application controller further includes areconciliation system. The reconciliation system determines the properstate for the unified interleaved wagering system when the interactivecontroller user client and the application controller do not match.

In some embodiments, the reconciliation system may be responsible forhalting processes in the interactive controller or the applicationcontroller. For example, the reconciliation system may monitor variousparameters, including user performances. When the monitored parametersmeet threshold values, the reconciliation system halts the systems.

In some embodiments, the reconciliation system includes communicating,to the interactive controller, an indication to provide additionalinformation or access to the interactive device in use. Thereconciliation system may also trigger a halt or pause based on acondition other than monitored parameters. For example, the conditionmay be an external interactive application.

In an embodiment, a reconciliation system process includes receiving1200 by an interactive controller 1202 from a user a user input of auser interaction with an interactive application provided by theinteractive controller to the user. The interactive controllerdetermines 1204 from the user an action within the interactiveapplication and determines 1206 an outcome of the action. Theinteractive controller generates 1208 an assumed outcome that isassociated with the determined outcome. In addition, the determinedaction is communicated to the reconciliation system for determination1210 of an outcome reconciliation by the reconciliation system.

The interactive application, when it receives the user input,communicates the user input as application telemetry data to anapplication controller 1210. The application controller receives theinteractive application telemetry data and uses the telemetry data togenerates wager request data as described herein. Included in the wagerrequest data is the original user input that is part of the interactiveapplication telemetry data received from the interactive controller. Theapplication controller communicates the wager request data to a wagercontroller 1212. The wager controller determines 1214 if the user inputis valid and pauses the interleaved wagering system 1216 if the userinput is determined to be invalid.

If the input is valid, the reconciliation system determines 1218 anaction from the user input. The process used by the reconciliationsystem for determining the action from the user input utilizes the sameprocess used by the interactive controller to determine 1204 the actioncorresponding to the user input. That is, both the interactiveapplication and the reconciliation system use the same algorithm todetermine the action from the user input such that if the algorithm inthe interactive application has been altered in some way to give adifferent action from a user input, the action determined by theinteractive application and the action determined by the reconciliationsystem will differ. The reconciliation system then determines 1220 anaction outcome using the action using the same algorithm that is used bythe interactive controller. That is, both the interactive applicationand the reconciliation system use the same algorithm to determine theaction outcome from the action determined from the user input such thatif the algorithm in the interactive application has been altered in someway to give a different action outcome from an action, the actionoutcome determined by the interactive application and the action outcomedetermined by the reconciliation system will differ.

The action outcome determined by the outcome reconciliation system andthe action outcome determined by the interactive controller are used todetermine an outcome reconciliation 1210. If there is a differencebetween the outcome determined by the outcome reconciliation system andthe action outcome determined by the interactive controller, the actionoutcome determined by the interactive controller is corrected 1218 tomatch the action outcome determined by the reconciliation system tocreate a reconciled action outcome. A wager controller outcome is thendisplayed 1220 as a wagering outcome as described herein based on thereconciled action outcome.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, an embodiment of the reconciliation systemincludes a comparison with an external database. When a user begins 1300an interactive session 1304 using an interactive application of aninteractive controller, the reconciliation system is also initiated1302. The reconciliation system performs a real-time scan 1306 of theinteractive controller's memory and processes, generating 1308 anincident status report whenever an anomaly is detected. The incidentreport is compared 1310 within the reconciliation system to a database1314 of known exploits or banned applications to determine if a knownexploit or banned application is being implemented on the interactivecontroller in violation of an operator's policies. If a violation isdetected, the reconciliation system notifies the wager controller of thedetermination 1312 that a violation has been detected 1314 as aconclusion to suspend 1316 the interactive application session. If therehas not been any violation of the operator's policies, the interactiveapplication session is allowed to continue to completion 1318.

In many embodiments, if an anomaly is detected that is not in theexternal database, an operator may also inspect the code and run itwithin an operator-controlled interleaved wagering system. If the codeis confirmed as a new cheat, it may be added to the database.

In some embodiments, the reconciliation system sends a challenge to theinteractive controller of the interactive application session. If anappropriate response is not received, the continuation of theinteractive application session is flagged as a possible violation.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart demonstrating a process of a reconciliationsystem in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.Specifically, when a user begins 1300 an interactive application session1302 using an interactive application of an interactive controller, areconciliation system initiates 1304 a graphics client residing on theinteractive controller. The reconciliation system requests through thegraphics client actual screenshot samples as screenshots taken 1306 fromgraphical output 1308 generated by the interactive controller. Thescreenshots are compared to expected graphical output generated thatshould be generated from the interactive application running on theinteractive controller to detect 1310 graphical anomalies that indicatea violation of the operator's policies. If a violation is detected 1312,the interactive application session is suspended 1316. If no violationsare detected, the interactive application session is allowed to becompleted 1314.

In some cases, the comparison of the graphical outputs may be automated.This may be done during the interactive application session in realtime. In other embodiments, they graphical outputs may be saved forlater analysis to determine if any violations occurred.

In some embodiments, the reconciliation system is configured to randomlygrab screenshot samples from the interactive controller during theinteractive application session.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart demonstrating a process of a reconciliationsystem in accordance with various embodiments of the invention As shownin FIG. 13, another method that may be used by the reconciliation systemis for a checksum (such as an MD5 sum) to be calculated against eachdatafile on the client computer hosting the interactive application, andfor these checksums to be reported to the server before the client canjoin the game. When a user has modified a datafile to give them anadvantage over others, the changes will affect the calculated checksumand may result in the client being automatically denied from joining theserver if an unknown checksum is detected.

Once a datafile has been checked by the reconciliation system, it isheld in a file open state, so that the user may not rename or copy overa file after the check has been completed, and the current interactiveapplication session is in progress. When the interactive applicationsession ends, the files are closed until the next checksum is run by thereconciliation system.

If a violation is detected, the reconciliation system will notify thewager controller to suspend the interactive application.

In operation, a user initiates interaction with an interactiveapplication 1400 and an interactive application session is started 1402.A checksum is determined by the interactive controller on all of theprogram and data files 1404 that are to be used by the interactiveapplication during the interactive application session. Once thechecksum is completed, the checksum is communicated to an applicationcontroller for comparison to stored checksums for the interactiveapplication data files. In addition, the interactive application programand data files are locked by the operating system of the interactivecontroller so that the program and data files cannot be overwritten oncethe interactive application has started. If the checksums communicatedto the application controller cannot be validated, thus resulting in aviolation of the operator's policies being detected 1410, then executionof the interactive application is suspended 1412. If no violation isdetected the, interactive application session is allowed to continueuntil completion 1414. At the end of the interactive applicationsession, an additional checksum is determined 1416 on the data files ofthe interactive application to ensure that the data files were notaltered during the interactive application session. The additionalchecksum is communicated to the application controller and compared to apre-computed checksum for the data files. If the additional checksumcannot be validated against the pre-computed checksum, thus resulting ina violation of the operator's policies being detected 1418, thenexecution of the interactive application is suspended 1412. If noviolation of the operator's policies is detected, then the precedinginteractive application session is validated 1420.

While the above description may include many specific embodiments of theinvention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope ofthe invention, but rather as examples of embodiments thereof. It istherefore to be understood that the present invention can be practicedotherwise than specifically described, without departing from the scopeand spirit of the present invention. Thus, embodiments of the presentinvention described herein should be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive.

What is claimed:
 1. An interleaved wagering system with a reconciliationsystem, comprising: an interactive controller constructed to: provide aninteractive application; receive a user input in the interactiveapplication from a user; communicate the user input to an applicationcontroller; determine a first action outcome using the user input; andcommunicate the action outcome to the application controller; and theapplication controller operatively connecting the interactive controllerto a wager controller, wherein the application controller is constructedto: receive the user input and the action outcome from the interactivecontroller; determine a second action outcome from the user input; andcompare the first action outcome to the second action outcome; detect ananomaly based on the comparison of the first action outcome to thesecond action outcome; compare the detected anomaly to a database ofknown exploits; suspend the interactive application when the detectedanomaly is found in the database of known exploits; and continue theinteractive application when the detected anomaly is not found in thedatabase of known exploits.
 2. The interleaved wagering system withreconciliation system of claim 1, wherein the interactive controller andthe application controller are housed in a single device, and whereinthe application controller is operatively connected to the wagercontroller using a communication link.
 3. The interleaved wageringsystem with reconciliation system of claim 1, wherein the wagercontroller and the application controller are housed in a single device,and wherein the application controller is operatively connected to theinteractive controller using a communication link.